Solving Riddles
by skullduggery's best friend
Summary: After being suddenly thrown 47 years into the past, Hermione knows she has to find a way to deal with the evil and manipulative younger dark lord but she never expected the things that were to come. TRHG
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any way.

CHAPTER ONE: A WAR OF HER OWN

"Run." This was the last thing Draco Malfoy would ever say. Hermione's eyes began to swell with tears as she saw the life begin to drain from his grey orbs. He gasped as he began to choke on his blood. No, no, no, this could not be happening right now; she should be the one dying not him. He had sacrificed himself for her, and her guilt was tearing away at her. Hermione gazed down at the now lifeless grey eyes that stared emptily at her, loneliness and guilt enveloped her, ripping at her soul, screaming at her. It was all her fault.

A growl snapped her out of her thoughts and her feelings were quickly replaced by raw hatred. She could feel her magic rushing and ripping at her, demanding to be let out. She relented without a second thought, and felt as her emotions entwined with her magic to take revenge upon Draco's murderer. She saw the shock in Dolohov's eyes as her magic hit him, " _Funem Ardeat_ ," she hissed and watched as the silver ropes attacked him, burning into his skin turning him into ash. His screams remained in the air even after he was nothing more than a pile of dust. A tear streamed down her face, as she turned her attention back to Draco. She hesitantly placed a hand on his cold cheek, watching her tears drip onto his face.

"Please forgive me," she whispered, "I didn't, I didn't want any of this to happen. Oh, God, why'd you save me?" She shook her head, sighing she knew she didn't have much time, "J-just know I-I love you, okay? I love you, Draco."

She hesitantly got up and walked away in search for Ron. Her eyes roamed over the ruins of Hogwarts and its former students either dead or inured. She finally saw Ron battling with a death eater and to her dismay, he looked as if he was about to lose. Her heart sunk when Ron fell to the ground, she needed to help him. "Forbus," she whispered but it was a second too late, she watched as the green light hit Ron square in the chest and kill him. Her spell on the death eater took effect a second later, she watched him scream in agony, pulling at his hair and try to put out non-visible flame before simply falling to the ground, dead.

To make matters worse for her, she watched as Voldemort along with his army walk out of the forbidden forest with a triumphant look on his face. She quickly ducked behind a pillar and watched with watery eyes as a death eater dropped a boy's body at his feet, Hermione froze, instantly recognizing the corpse.

Voldemort let out a low chuckle and kick the body, he raised his hands and shouted: "Harry Potter is dead! The boy who lived is no more!" He threw his head back and began to laugh, to truly laugh.

Indeed, Hermione Granger's world was over.

XXX

They were dead, they were all dead. Hermione began to sob as she sunk to the floor. She wouldn't wake up and see them tomorrow, they wouldn't be there to cheer her up, they wouldn't be coming back! The war, they'd fought with everything they had, and they'd lost, and Merlin they lost hard.

Hermione snuck into the forbidden forest and began to run the moment she knew nobody could see her. She had no idea where she was going, but it didn't matter all she knew was that she had to get away. The minute the death eater realized that they didn't kill the entire trio, they'd be after her. She'd been running for a while when she tripped on a branch and fell onto the floor. She was getting onto her feet when she heard a familiar laugh, that made her freeze. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

 _NO! It can't be, please don't let it be._

She let out a shaky breath and opened her eyes only to find herself staring into the dark orbs of Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix giggled and pointed a finger at her, "And what do we have here?"

Hermione began to back away but the woman grabbed her arm, digging her black nails into her skin. She tapped her fingers on her chin and cocked her head to the side, "A lost kitten? Oh, lucky, lucky me. Where do you think you're going?"

Hermione wanted to say something but her shock kept her mouth shut. "Running away, are we? Tut, tut, tut, I can't let you do that, best to finish it off here don't you think?" She was giggling hysterically, her laugh echoing through the trees.

Hermione was slowly beginning to overcome her shock, her mind began to fog with anger, perhaps not fully directed at her. She didn't realize when she reached into her trouser pocket and pulled out the dagger she'd taken from a death eater, Bellatrix was raising her wand at her with a killing spell at the tip of her tongue, but Hermione was faster. She disarmed her with a non-verbal spell and stabbed Bellatrix in the chest. For the first time, Hermione didn't feel any guilt as she stabbed the witch a second time watching as the spark in her eyes began to fade. She let go of the witch but in her struggle, Bellatrix grabbed Hermione's time turner and accidentally spun the dial. Bellatrix's cold, hard black eyes were the last thing Hermione Granger saw before she went spiralling backwards in time.


	2. Chapter Two

**DISCLAIMER: I HAVE NO RIGHTS TO HARRY POTTER.**

CHAPTER TWO: COMPLEXITIES

A/N: This is an edit of the original chapter. The edits for further chapters of this story might take a while, so do not be confused by the difference between the quality of the writing for the first two chapters of this story and the rest. This story was written at a very young age, therefore it's filled with MANY grammatical errors and in bad chapter planning in general. My writing may still be terrible, but it has improved, so yeah.

Hermione stood up from the ground with her mind spinning in both confusion and awe. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before her. Hogwarts, complete, untouched, unaltered, a perfect replica of the greatness it had once contained, stood before her. She wondered how far back in time Bellatrix had sent her, she guessed around a week or so. Completely intrigued, Hermione began to walk towards the castle entrance, stopping as she sighted two figures moving towards her at an alarmingly fast rate. Her initial thought was that it was Death Eaters, but the lack of curses coming her way banished the idea. Her second thought, although less likely, was students trying to escape, but the calm composure of the figures deterred that idea as well. Finally, she thought of teachers, but why were they moving so fast? She squinted to get a better view of them as they neared her, the dark sky was a problem, but the light from the moon was just enough for her to see the young, smiling face of Albus Dumbledore, and the rather grim one of the former headmaster, Dippet.

Hermione awoke to find herself staring at the blank white ceiling of the Hogwarts hospital wing. She shuffled under the light blanket and groaned at the pain that shot through her body, she realised that she hadn't relaxed in such a way in a while, and her body was now feeling the effects of being extremely overworked. She slowly turned her head to the side and was startled to find the smiling young face of Albus Dumbledore. He sat it a chair right next to her bedside and was slightly slumped over, he straightened up when he found her looking at him.

"Ah, I see you're awake," he said, Hermione was surprised by the cheer in his voice, she hadn't heard such cheer in a long time. "You gave us quite a shock," he chuckled and Hermione nodded in agreement. Why wouldn't she? She looked like death and probably smelled like it, too, the fact that she had blood and dirt all over her didn't help to lighten the situation.

He clasped his hands together and smiled, Hermione had missed his smile. "Do you happen to know where you are?"

Hermione frowned inwardly, she'd just come from the future and had absolutely no idea where in time she was, should she know where she was? And even if she told him she knew where she was, how'd she got here and why was she here? She had absolutely no way of telling him anything or answering his questions. Should she pretend that she was mute, no, that wouldn't work, what then? She resolved to shaking her head.

He nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Well, do you know what year it is?" Hermione was stumped, but how could she not know what year it was, wouldn't that just seem absolutely strange? She nodded.

He smiled again. "Could you perhaps, if it's no trouble that is, tell me what your name is and where you are from?"

She nodded, pushing herself into a sitting position. She was going to tell a lie, and boy was it going to be a scrambled one.

"My name is Hermione Bellove," she crocked, she was parched, but she wasn't going to stall. She swallowed and proceeded with her fib. "I-I'm seventeen years old and I'm from France. I do not know exactly where I am or, or how I got here, but I do know that I'm somewhere in Britain in the wizarding world. I, uh, I had to," well she didn't know about that part but It'd seem odd if she didn't. "I had to get away from-"

"The war," Dumbledore said slowly. Hermione was confused, war? "Grindelwald, he recently attacked France, I'm sorry you had to go through such an unfortune." His smile was gone, and he hung his head in an odd way. "Well," he looked up at her. "Nevermind that for now, you're safe."

Hermione nodded but inside her head wheels were turning, war, Grindelwald? He attacked France in 1943, so that would mean...no. Was that even possible? Time turners could go back that far, could they?

"Miss Bellouve?"

Hermione looked up to see Dumbledore looking at her concerned. "Sorry, yes?

"I'm Albus Dumbledore but you may call me Professor Dumbledore, you are currently in Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And today is Monday the Thirteenth, 1943."

Hermione nodded, her skin paling. _So it is true, its 1943 and I'm not going to be able to leave any time soon. Dear Merlin, why me?_ But on second thought, it was 1943, that meant that Voldemort...Voldemort was still a child, her age in fact and attending Hogwarts. If she could somehow convince Dumbledore to let her stay and attend Hogwarts, she could easily, well, perhaps not easily, but she could try to stop him from becoming who he was so determined on becoming. Perhaps she could stop the war from ever happening, Harry from losing his parents, anyone from losing anything, and Draco...stop Draco from dying. The two sat in a comfortable silence as Hermione pondered over how she could convince Dumbledore to let her stay, she knew that this was a thing done often in Hogwarts, letting orphaned, homeless children reside in the castle and continue their education, so perhaps the same could be done for her.

Just as Dumbledore was about to leave, Hermione called out to him. "Professor?" She asked, he turned around to face her.

"Yes, child?"  
"Do you think it'd be possible if I could stay here? I don't have anywhere to go an-"

""Of course you can, Hogwarts is open to all." He winked and walked out. Hermione sighed in relief and leaned back.

She surveyed her aching body. Bandages were wrapped around wounds that she'd been too busy to heal, most of them caused by dark magic and although Hermione was certain that the medi-witch had done all she could, her remedies would not suffice. She'd have to heal them herself once she got out of the hospital wing. They all stung but none stung as much as the one on her arm, the one that she'd never forget was there. She slowly peeled back he bandages on her arm to stare at the large jagged letters, she'd use magic to cover it from view but it'd never heal. She started at it, tears pricking at the back of her eyes, it was a constant reminder of what she had been through and what she'd continue to go through. A reminder of what she was to the wizarding world, a mudblood.

XXX

Hermione was dressed in Hogwarts attire, the only thing missing from her uniform was a house badge and tie. Dumbledore would be arriving shortly to escort her to her sorting in Dippet's office. She thought it unnecessary, seeing as she already knew what her house was, Gryffindor. After the sorting she was to take an exam to place her into an appropriate year and then given a timetable.

Dippet differed in many ways to Dumbledore. Hermione picked up on that the minute she walked into the office and shook his hand. He was cold, impatient, he wanted things done, and he didn't care which way they went. His office was the same as him, old and grey. The sorting hat was already set out for her next to a stool, Dippet guided her towards it. She sat upon the stool and her placed the hat on her head, muttering some words underneath her breath. Hermione let out a sigh, it was nerve wrecking to have the old thing looking through her head.

"My, my what do we have here?" Its voice ran through her mind. "You've been through so much child, it's a wonder why you're here. Oh I see, a time traveller are you?"

Hermione closed her eyes and clenched her fists, this was simply infuriating.

"Perhaps Ravenclaw, you are truly brilliant...no, you're brave too, very brave. Gryffindor?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes, Gryffindor."

The hat chortled, "No, no not Gryffindor and most definitely not Hufflepuff. You're on a mission aren't you, one that you want to accomplish so very much?"

"Yes, but-"  
"No buts child, my job is to place students into houses where their skills can be put to use, Gryffindor will not do that for you, no it won't"  
"Please-"  
"No dear, no, no, no," the hat chortled once more. "I believe it'll be best to put you in Slytherin, don't you think so?"  
"N-"  
"Well, I do so, SLYTHERIN!" The hat yelled. Hermione scowled inwardly, _son of a bi-_. Her train of thought was cut off by Dipppet clapping his hands together and smiling, no, more like leering, at her.

"Well," he said. "There we have it."

Hermione turned to see Dumbledore smiling at her as well. She hopped off the stool placing the hat onto the stool, wanting to wring it but refraining.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Bellove," said Dumbledore. "Now you shall be taking a few tests to set an appropriate timetable for you and to pick your subjects, so if you don't mind," Dumbledore gestured at a desk on the far left of the office, "please sit."

Hermione obliged and walked over to the desk, Dippet then handed her her first test which was followed by many others. She didn't mind, she had missed the serenity of school work no matter how odd it sounded. She completed them all within a time span of about three hours, she was certain she passed them all. Dippet nodded at her.

"These shall be marked and graded and shortly after you shall be given your timetable. As for now, Dumbledore shall take you to meet your head of house."

"Thank you," she said and walked over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore nodded down at her and escorted her out of the office.

XXX

"Your house head is Professor Slughorn, if you have any enquiries about your house you should go to him. He is also your potions teacher," Dumbledore explained to an oblivious Hermione. She nodded along to his words but wasn't listening, she just looked around her, fascinated by the fact that she was in a perfectly unaltered Hogwarts. The two finally reached Slughorn's office, Dumbledore knocked on the door gently and waited for Slughorn's reply. It wasn't long before he shouted for them to come in.

Dumbledore opened the door and Hermione's eyes landed on a boy sitting opposite Slughorn who was at his desk. He was handsome, his raven hair was perfectly done and his blue eyes sparkled in a way that deterred you from looking directly into them. This boy that Hermione recognised as none other than Tom, fucking, Riddle.

It was hard but she forced a smile.

XXX

The girl's smile was fake. That was the first thought that entered Tom's mind when he laid eyes on her. It was obvious to anyone who looked at her, it faltered too often, she showed too little teeth, and she kept digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palm. Hatred radiated off of her and Tom couldn't help but feel that it was directed at him.

From the little he heard she was a transfer from France and had just been sorted into Slytherin, but what ticked him off was that she was a mudblood. A god-damned _mudblood_. In _Slytherin_. He fantasised about where her body would be found after the other house members found out. It'd be fun to see her die. She looked nothing like a Slytherin, more like a damned Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw, she fumbled too often ad couldn't seem to keep herself straight, odd. The more she fumbled the more infuriated he became, perhaps he'd just…

"Tom m'boy," came Slughorn's rather annoyingly jolly voice, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Would you mind taking Miss Bellouve here on a quick tour of the castle before dinner?"

What? Of course, he didn't but it wasn't a question, it was something he was expected to do. He had to.

"Not at all Professor," he replied smoothly, getting off of his chair and walking over to the trio. "Nice to meet you, Miss Bellouve,"  
"Pleasure's all mine," she replied, the sneer behind her tone was not completely concealed.

"I'm Tom Riddle," he held out his hand, she took it begrudgingly shaking it before dropping it back to her side.

"We best get a move one, we don't have long before dinner."

"Lead the way."

Tom walked out of the office and Hermione followed him, scowling at his back.

XXX

Ten minutes till dinner. Tom had shown Hermione part of the castle, Hermione thought it unnecessary and had simply nodded at everything he said. Tom had tried to be friendly to her, no matter how hard it was for him, but Hermione shut him down whenever he asked her anything although she had been equally polite.

They entered the great hall as Tom explained that it was currently Christmas break and that most of the students had left to be with their families. Hermione nodded, not looking at him. She walked with him to the Slytherin table, and they both sat down and proceeded to eat in silence.

XXX

Tom surveyed the girl closely as they ate. She was an oddity that he couldn't quite describe, she made no moves to talk to him and seemed to be dead set on ignoring him. He couldn't comprehend why. When she moved, she was stiff, as if it hurt and when she talked, she talked softly as if that hurt too. There was a mysterious aura around her that bothered him extremely. He'd have usually decoded a person by now, but she, she wouldn't let him do that. It made him hate her more.

XXX

Hermione wanted nothing more than to curl up in nice warm sheets and sleep, undisturbed by the terrors of war. She supposed that the only upside of being back in Hogwarts was the serenity of it all. But as Tom walked with her down to the dungeon, she couldn't help but feel that perhaps she'd die before her mission even went into action, she could tell he disliked her and although the feelings were mutual, she knew that his hatred was uncontrollable. She was conflicted, and this time around she had no one to help her.

She raised an eyebrow as they came to a standstill, staring at a wall.

"Wha-" she began but stopped herself.

Tom turned to her, raising an eyebrow before turning to face the wall again. "Salazar," he muttered and the wall slid open, revealing the slightly eerie Slytherin common room. She followed him in, taking in her surroundings with both awe and fear. The walls were rough and stone, black leather chairs were situated in comfortable places, high emerald green curtains hung from closed windows and high backed armchairs were set in front of the fireplace. It wasn't as comforting as the Gryffindor common room but it was more comforting than she thought it'd be. Oddly enough, she liked it.

Tom walked her to the stairs that led up to the girls dormitory and nodded at the door at the landing.

"Up there you'll find your belongings, unless you have yet to buy them and it that case I suppose you better talk to Dumbledore," he said, his tone had changed, he sounded slightly impatient. He sensed that she realised this and smiled at her, he had a nice smile. Hermione believed that she would have fallen for that smile had she not known what lay beneath it.

She nodded at him and proceeded to walk up the stairs.

XXX

Tom held back a sneer as he watched her disappear into the girl's dormitory. Strange girl he thought, very strange indeed.

XXX

While Hermione lay in bed that night she thought of a plan. She had to be rational and not stupid, but in this case she couldn't tell sense from its opposite. She was confused, she knew that anything she planned would be stupid either way. She couldn't kill him, she knew that much, but then again what _could_ she do? Frustrated, she turned onto her side and closed her eyes, hoping that some proper sleep would help clear her mind.


	3. Chapter Three

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER THREE: THE TROUBLE IS JUST BEGINNING

Hermione sat in the library glaring at the book she had just been reading, no help at all. Who could have ever thought that the Hogwarts library would ever let her down and in the restricted section no less? She sighed and returned the book to its rightful place with a wave of her wand. She made up her mind that Hogwarts would be no help on time travelling she'd have to find help somewhere else. She was too tired to search for any more books and so she just picked a random book from the shelf, she soon realised it was a book on dark magic. Hermione didn't put it down though, she was used to reading books on the dark arts after all she had, had to read many of them during the war, their strategy was to know what the enemy knows and since what the enemy knew mostly consisted of dark magic, they had to spend a lot of time researching dark magic. She found it quite fascinating but she was smart enough to not let herself get caught into it.

XXX

Tom was walking into the library when he saw something that struck him as odd, the new girl Bellouve was at a table in the restricted section completely immersed in a book and as he walked closer he realised it was a book on dark magic, now what would a girl like her be doing reading a book like that? He'd never seen any girls interested in dark magic, even the ones in Slytherin so why would she a mudblood be reading a book like that? He was curious and so he started walking over to her, she looked up as he started approaching her, she saw him and then she looked down again.

"Hi," he said as he reached her table

"Hi," she replied

"What are you reading?"

"A book."

"Fair enough, do you mind if I sit here?"

"Not at all." she watched as he sat down regretted telling him to do so, she knew he knew what she was reading and was probably going to start pestering her with questions.

"Where do you spend most of your time? I haven't seen you around."

"All that there is to know is that I like being alone and you don't need to know where I spend my time." she put down her book smiling at him sweetly, he nodded. She had actually been spending her time in the room of requirement and the library she had nowhere else to go and no one to talk to; she picked up her book and began to read again, she saw him get up and thought he was leaving but all he was doing was getting a book and then he sat down again. She checked her wristwatch, "Five minutes till dinner I better get going." she said getting up from the table and was almost out of the door when she heard Tom shout "Wait!" she turned around "Let me escort you to dinner."

"No, it's really not necessary."

"It is and it's no problem really," he smirked inwardly as she relented with a look of defeat on her face. She seemed so uncomfortable whenever she was around him and he enjoyed that fact.

"School is opening in a few days maybe you'll make friends," he said although he knew full well that the Slytherins were going to hate her and the other houses would probably stay away from her since she was so strange.

"I was under the impression that you were my friend Riddle?"

"Oh I am but I don't think you consider me as one of your friends."

"And why would you think that Riddle?"

"You seem ever so uncomfortable whenever I'm around you even right now, it seems you can't wait to get away from me."

"Well I'm sorry if you think I feel that way Riddle." she didn't try to deny it nor did she admit it and Tom found this rather annoying.

"What classes shall you be taking?"

"Dare I say that that is none of your business?

"And dare I say it is my business seeing as I am a prefect after all." he snapped at her, getting more annoyed by the way she was dodging his questions.

"Well you'll find out then won't you?" she snapped back getting annoyed from his questions.

"Listen Bellouve, it would do you well to not annoy me."

"Oh, really and what would you do if I continued to annoy you?"

"You wouldn't want to know," he smirked at her and opened the doors that lead to the great hall.

They sat at the Slytherin table and ate dinner in silence Hermione left before Tom.

XXX

Still feeling angry and annoyed she walked through the halls having no idea where she was going until she reached a hall that she recognized, it was the hall where the room of requirement was; she smiled as the door appeared she looked around her making sure one was watching her and entered the room. She smirked as she looked around the room, all that was there was a dummy, a punching bag, boxing gloves and cushioned mats on the floor, she quickly transfigured her robes into a tank top and sweatpants and got her wand "Come out, come out wherever you are." she said knowing that what she saw weren't the only things that were in the room, her smirk grew as she watched six black hooded figures appear out of nowhere and start walking towards her firing spells and curses. She defended herself, casting a quick yet powerful protego and sending a confringo to the one that was closest to her, it stumbled a few steps back and turned into ashes.

She turned to another one "Obscuro." she said and once it was blindfolded she kicked it hard into the wall and watched it too disintegrate ashes, turning to another one she cast the sectumsempra spell on it and saw as the slashes appear on its body and turn it into ashes. She turned to the remaining three she was shocked when she saw that one was dangerously close to her, it grabbed her arm and yanked her down to the floor, she groaned as she hit the ground, it leaned over her and she punched it in the face and kicked it in the leg. She got her wand and muttered incarcerous it was tied up quickly and then turned into ashes. She got up and looked at the remaining two, they were standing in one place, she dropped her wand deciding to finish them off by hand. She ran at one of the full speed, smashing its body into the wall, she proceeded to pound it faces until it finally turned to ashes. She then faced the last one. She first gave it a huge blow to the head making it fall to the ground she then slammed her whole body onto it making it howl and disappear. She got up and dusted herself off, pleased to get rid of her anger and annoyance. The room of requirement always helped. She transfigured her clothes back to the way they were and walked out of the room. Once again checking that no one was watching her she turned around and stalked off to the Slytherin common room.

XXX

Hermione took a deep breath and walked into the great hall, today was the day the students were coming back, she was nervous, the last time she had been in the great hall with all the students she had been with Harry and Ron and also in Gryffindor but now they'd been horrible turn of events instead she was now in Slytherin, in the wrong time period without Harry, Ron, Draco or anyone she cared about. She sat at the Slytherin table, the students would be arriving in less than ten minutes, she looked at Tom who was sitting opposite her with his brow furrowed, he seemed to be deep in thought. Probably thinking of another gruesome way to torture someone she thought giggling.

"What's so funny Bellouve?" he asked

"Oh nothing," she said smiling

"If you say so." Tom found her rather annoying, she always seemed to find a way to not answer his questions but hopefully he wouldn't have to see much of her after today, he was pretty sure she wouldn't be in too many of his classes, she seemed too dull and average. He turned away from Bellouve as he saw people start crowding into the great hall, they were here. He nodded at Lestrange, Malfoy, Nott, Avery, Goyle, Black, Crabbe and Sivian in greeting as they sat down at the table. The great hall filled up soon and Dippet began his welcome back speech as soon as he was done the feast started and everyone's attention turned to Hermione. He smirked, this is where her torture would begin, he turned to Hermione, "Bellouve?"

She looked up from her still empty plate "Yes?"

"I'd like you to meet some good friends of mine." she simply nodded "Hermione Bellouve, this is Abraxas Malfoy, Edmond Lestrange, Alexander Avery, Regulus Black, Tyson Sivian, Felix Goyle and Theodore Crabbe and guys I'd like you to meet Hermione Bellouve a transfer from France."

They nodded at her and she nodded back at them in greeting. A girl next to her sneered. "Bellouve?" she said, "I've never heard that name, I'm guessing you're a mudblood?"

"And your problem with that is?" Hermione said turning to face her

"My problem is that you're a mudblood and filth like you doesn't deserve to be in Slytherin."

"Oh, now what do you intend to do about that?"

"Nothing, I just suggest you stay out of my way."

"And if I don't, what'll you do then?"

"I'll kill you that's what, it'll be less filth for the rest of the world."

"I'm sure you couldn't hit anyone with a simple slicing hex even if they were standing in front of you with a bulls-eye sign on them, I'd like to see try and kill me." The girl glared at her and Hermione smiled, she put a hand on her shoulder and leaned into her, "Don't mess with me." she whispered into her ear before getting up from the table and walked out of the great hall.

Hermione walked to the Slytherin common room and then to the girl's dormitories deciding to go to bed way earlier than usual but not before casting a shield around her bed knowing that they wouldn't be Slytherins if they didn't try to hex her or do something to her while she slept.

Everyone stared at Hermione as she left the great hall, Tom had not expected her to react the way she did to Parkinson's comment. He had expected her to back down or maybe even cry but not threaten her and walk away leaving the other girl terrified, although he did like that it made Parkinson shut up, something she rarely did. Either way, the argument was rather enjoyable.

"How dare she threaten me!" Parkinson shouted, "A filthy mudblood threatened me a pureblood and not to mention touch me!"

"Why didn't you say anything while she was still here?" said Abraxas

"You saw what she did, I couldn't say anything!"

"So you were scared?"

"I-I, no I wasn't why would I be scared of her?"

"From the look on your face, you were scared."

"She's a freak! I wasn't scared!"

"Yes, you were." Abraxas aid ending their argument

"I say we hex her in her sleep, a mudblood doesn't deserve to be in Slytherin," said Rose Macmillan,

Parkinson nodded in agreement. Tom smirked, the girl was definitely not going to last.


	4. CHAPTER FOUR

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER FOUR: THEY'RE NOT SLYTHERINS FOR NOTHING

Hermione awoke with a scream, she was gasping and covered in sweat. Nightmares of the war had been haunting her ever since she travelled into the past. She swung her legs over her bed and peeked through the curtains, everybody was still asleep, good. She picked up her watch from the bedside table, it was 2:00am she groaned, she'd have to be up by seven since classes started at eight. She lay back down on her bed but was afraid of going to sleep because of the nightmares, she soon got bored of lying there doing nothing and so she decided to go for a stroll around the castle.

She truly didn't know where she was going as she swerved in and out of corridors but she soon found herself in front of the stairs that led to the astronomy tower. She walked up the stairs making sure to make no sound at all, she reached the landing and conjured herself an armchair. She sighed as she sunk into it, a cool breeze hit her and she stared at the moon and the stars wishing she was amongst them. She sat there for a while until thoughts of her plan crept into her mind.

She knew she couldn't show him that she hated him, she knew she had to control her emotions, she'd have to become a Slytherin, she'd have to become his equal. However, she didn't plan to make him think she was joining him, in fact she wanted to make sure he wouldn't notice her, she wanted to be hidden in the shadows but still be able to capture him and destroy him. First of all, she knew she couldn't be too naive about anything, she had tampered with her memories in case he got suspicious of her and attacked her mind when she wasn't expecting it. Second of all she practiced her story; her name was Hermione Bellouve a seventeen year old transfer from Beauxbaton the reason she had an English accent was because she lived half her life England and moved to France when she was eight years old, her whole family was murdered by Gridelwalds men a month ago, she was the only one that survived. In a way it was true, a tear a ran down her face as she thought of Draco, Harry, Ron and Ginny. She couldn't get her mind around it, even though she saw them die, it was still hard but it didn't matter because she would avenge them now and she wiped the tear away.

Third of all she'd have to play dumb, she'd have to act like the girls that were always fawning over him. She'd have to be a typical girly girl no matter how much she hated the idea, if she wanted him to not notice her she'd have to do it.

She sighed, she was feeling tired but was scared to sleep, she'd need to brew some dreamless potion or sneak out of the castle into Hogsmeade to get some. She groaned and got out of the chair and made it vanish, she might as well try to get some sleep even if the nightmares would come back.

XXX

Hermione scowled as Emma Parkinson shoved her in the hall, she had half the mind to turn around and hex the girl to pieces but she decided against it and continued on her way to potions. She walked into the classroom and sat down at a random desk before she could register that it was at the front, wrong choice. Before she could move, Abraxas Malfoy came up to her, "You're in my seat." he said looking her in the eye.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"You heard what I said mudblood, you're. In. My. Seat."

Hermione looked him up and down and realised that he was Draco's grandfather, he didn't look too much like him but you could see the similarities, his sparkling grey eyes, his jawline and his blonde hair, his cheekbones and the way he spoke. It made her miss him more but he wasn't Draco and he would never be Draco.

"It doesn't have your name on it." she raised an eyebrow. He was about to retort when Slughorn came in and greeted everyone telling them to be seated. Abraxas scowled and sat in the seat next to her. "Today's lesson will be on the draught of living death. Now can anyone tell me what that is?" Hermione was dying to raise her hand and blurt out the answer but she stopped herself in time. Tom raised his hand and Slughorn obviously picked him (there was no one else to pick but even if there was she was sure Slughorn would have still picked him).

"The Draught of Living Death brings upon its drinker a very powerful sleep that can last indefinitely. This draught is very dangerous if not used with caution. When a person drinks the Draught of Living Death, they go into a deep sleep so strong that they appear to be dead, hence the name. It is made from powdered root of asphodel which is added to an infusion of wormwood." he says.

Hermione was amazed by the way he was able to say that without sounding too pompous or big headed but again he was the dark lord and was supposed to be an amazing actor.

"Brilliant Tom, ten points to Slytherin!"

The rest of the lesson was spent with Slughorn explaining what it was used for and how it was used and Tom earning Slytherin a bunch of house points along with a few other people.

She had transfiguration next and couldn't wait for it. The idea of Dumbledore teaching transfiguration made her happy.

XXX

Hermione sat in the back of the library were no really ever went running over the details of her day. Dumbledore still acted like Dumbledore until it came to Tom Riddle. He acted a bit cold towards Tom and barely acknowledged him at all, Hermione found this quite odd because Dumbledore never treated a student that way, he always seemed happy and welcoming towards students even if they were the most troublesome Slytherins.

She sighed and got up, some of the books in this section were books that weren't available in her time, and she didn't even wonder why. The books seemed to be radiating a very strange magic and she was sure it wasn't good. She reached for one but decided against it, it was best to leave them there, not knowing what they contained. She picked up her bag and walked out the library; she was heading towards the room of requirement when a hex zoomed past her ear crashing into the wall, she spun around immediately standing in defence mode and behind her was Rose Macmillan smirking at her. Hermione scowled and she sneered at her, "Where do you think you're going mudblood?" Said Rose.

"What's it to you Macmillan?" Hermione replied, her face blank and not displaying any emotion.

"Being a Prefect and all, it's necessary to know what students are doing prowling around the castle after curfew especially when it comes to filth like you."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "And that gives you permission to hex me?"

"Well, the rules can be bended when it's a mudblood."

"I really doubt that Macmillan. How would Slughorn react when he finds out that one of the prefects in his house is out hexing students just because she feels like it?"

"You wouldn't dare." She snarled and sent a hex at Hermione. Hermione deflected it before Rose could register what happened and it crashed into the wall.

"Expelliarmus." Hermione said and Roses wand landed neatly in her hand.

"Give me back my wand, mudblood!"

"Tell you what, you swear not to bother me again and I'll consider not snapping your wand in two." her voice dripping with false sweetness.

"Fine, fine just give me back my wand!"

"Swear." she said in a sing song voice.

"Fine, I swear not to bother you again."

Hermione threw her back her wand and walked away before she had the chance to say anything. Slytherins, she thought shaking her head, what a vicious bunch.

XXX

Ok so I know there wasn't any Tomione interaction in this chapter but you'll have to bear with me on that. This was all just a filler nothing too interesting but the next chapter will have more detail.


	5. Chapter Five

**DISCLAIMER: I DON NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER FIVES: PLANS

 _Hermione threw her back her wand and walked away before she had the chance to say anything. Slytherins, she thought, shaking her head, what a vicious bunch._

Only to bump into the most vicious of them all, Hermione fell onto her butt and Tom glared down at her.

'You should really watch where you're going Bellouve.' he sneered.

'S-sorry I'll be more careful next time.' she said ducking behind her hair shielding her face from view. Tom just sent her a dirty look and walked away, Hermione shrugged and continued on her way to the room of requirement.

XXX

What an odd girl, Tom thought as he walked towards the Slytherin common room, dull and snarky, not a good combination. He wondered who she was, a complete mystery to everyone that's what she was, barely uttered a word to anyone unless someone tried to pick on her although she never seemed really bothered about any of it. She spent most of the time in the library and always had a weird look in her eye whenever he spoke to her. She was hiding something and for some reason, Tom wanted to know what it was, he shrugged, it was probably nothing too big or important but maybe he'd take a little peek into her mind the next time he saw her just to know.

XXX

Hermione sneered as she kicked the dummy repeatedly, sweat was running down her forehead, some of her hair was sticking to her face and her body was aching but still she kept punching and kicking, she was letting her anger out on the dummy, she'd been doing so for hours actually but still her anger was still trapped inside her, it felt to her that the more she hit the dummy she angrier she got.

Hermione stopped hitting the dummy and sat down, she was panting and felt exhausted, she could hit no more. The thoughts of losing the war were what fueled her with hatred, the pain and the anger had come rushing back to her like a flood and now that she had got rid of the anger, all was left was the pain.

Tears started pouring out of her eyes and soon she was sobbing, Hermione cried harder than she ever had before, she screamed and cried, clutching her knees rocking back and forth.

Hermione had no more tears to shed and so she sat the hiccuping still rocking back and forth, she felt better than she ever had since landing in the past.

XXX

Hermione sat in the great hall slowly eating her toast when she felt eyes on her, she looked up to find Tom staring at her, she felt him pushing at her mental barriers, she strengthened her shields as he began to push harder at her barriers, he narrowed his eyes at her and she stared blankly at him her face not showing any of the annoyance that was now beginning to boil inside of her. She broke the eye contact and continued to eat her toast trying to ignore Tom who was still trying to break into her mind.

XXX

So the girl knew occlumency, maybe what she was hiding was a bit important after all. He'd wait till she let her guard down and then he'd try to break into her mind again.

Hermione sighed she'd need new plans, she didn't know how but he knew she was hiding something he'd probably begin to watch her more closely now, she'd have to tread carefully.

XXX

Hermione stood in the DADA classroom practically bored to death, they were having practicals and her opponent was too foolish to notice that with each spell he sent at her, the less he had a chance at winning, not that he ever had a chance in the first place. She sighed and decided to end the duel with a quick expelliarmus. Her opponent glared at her and she smirked back at him. She then turned around to look for another opponent, there were no girls; in this period of time women were looked upon as weak and feeble-minded and therefore they were given the chance to go study their books in the library or stay for the practicals, Hermione was the only one who stayed.

Hermione's eyes scanned the room and the only people available were Tom, Malfoy and Nott. Tom was out of the question, he'd probably try to test her abilities and knowing herself , Hermione knew that she would probably give in and fight back. Nott didn't look too challenging at the moment, he was still sore from the stinging hex Malfoy had sent at him. Malfoy on the other hand had a triumphant smirk on his face that Hermione wanted to hex right off. She smiled and walked over to him, she stood behind him and cleared her throat, turned around and scowled. "What do you want Bellouve?" He sneered.

"What do you think Malfoy?"

He laughed, a cold harsh laugh. "Let me guess, you want to duel me?"

"Pretty much. I couldn't see what else I could possibly want from you."

"Sure. It would be fun to see you cry Bellouve."

Hermione smirked and shrugged to loosen her shoulders, she walked over to the other side of the room and turned to face Malfoy. They both bowed and the duel began. "Stupefy!" Malfoy shouted. Hermione blocked it, "Incarcerous!" Hermione shouted. It missed Malfoy by an inch and he smirked, Hermione smirked right back that had been a distraction, she sent a nonverbal stupefy at him and he fell stiff to the ground, she smiled and walked over to him she bent down and pried his wand from his stiff hands and whispered "I win." Before standing back up again and pointing her wand at him, "Rennervate."

Malfoy got up and scowled at her while dusting himself off. "Give me back my wand Bellouve." He barked at her.

"Aw, why so sour? Aren't you going to congratulate me?"

He walked over to her threateningly, "Not a chance in the world mudblood. Now give me back my wand."

She smiled and threw him back his wand, he caught it it one swift movement and then he stalked off. Sending glares both her and Nott who was trying to stifle a laugh. Hermione smiled. There was a cough from behind her and she froze, "Would you like to duel me Bellouve?" The smooth cold voice of Tom Riddle said ruining her mood. She turned around, folded her arms and glared at him, "And why would I do that Riddle?" She replied.

"Maybe because I just saw you duel with Malfoy and from what can tell, you seem to hold a strong dislike for him. I thought if you were willing to duel him, perhaps you'd be willing to duel me."

"Good point Tom, but my answer is no."

For a quick second there Hermione could have sworn his eyes had flashed red. "Too bad, it would have been quite interesting." He flashed her a smile, but it wasn't his usual charming one, no this one was cold and threatening, it sent a chill down Hermione's spine.

"Yes, I'm sure it would've been."

XXX

"Your heart's too big for your body, that's why it won't fit inside, you pour it out, where everyone can see." Hermione sang quietly while doing her potions homework in the common room, no one was around and she found it quite peaceful . She was singing a muggle song that she used to love. "Those crybaby tears come out of the dark." She hummed the tune.

Tom stared at the girl in the common room, she hadn't noticed that he'd been watching her for a while now. It seemed odd, just staring for no reason. But he just couldn't crack the mystery. The rational part of his mind told him that she was just another average oblivious girl and the irrational part of his mind told him that she was more than that, there was something she was hiding and he needed to know what it was. He sighed and turned to walk out of the common room, he was having a meeting with his followers in thirty minutes but something stopped him. He didn't know why he didn't leave, instead he walked into the common room and sat in the armchair in front of the fire. "Hello Bellouve." He said to her. She looked up startled, "Oh, hi Riddle."

He used this moment to break into her mind, but he did it carefully so she wouldn't notice.

Hermione let Tom into her mind pushing forward her fake memories.

Tom shuffled through Hermione's memories.

 _Hermione was sitting with a raven-haired boy and a red-headed boy. They were in the woods around a fire, they were arguing, all of a sudden Hermione silenced them both and took out the fire, there was a crunch from somewhere and she cast a spell in that direction. A howl came from that direction and a man in a mask and dark robes stumbled out from behind a tree with his wand pointed at them-_

"Tom," Hermione said breaking him out of her thoughts. He shook his head.

"Since when do you call me Tom, Bellouve?"

She blushed a little "Since whenever I want to. Anyway as I was saying, have you finished with the potions homework?"

"Of course I have. Why, do you need help?"

She scoffed and burst out laughing. He became confused and annoyed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry." She gasped "I'm just- sorry. It's fine."

He nodded his head frowning she, was seriously strange. "I've got to get going." He said, still frowning.

"Ok then." She said still smiling.

He walked out of the common room thinking about what he'd seen in her memories. He wanted to know more.

XXXXXXX

A/N: Yeah, I know that Crybaby wasn't even close to out during that time but I just felt like it. Anyway, this is sorta just a filler. Next update will hopefully be tomorrow since I've already begun working on the next chapter.


	6. Chapter Six

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP, PSHH I BARELY OWN MY LIFE**

CHAPTER SIX: REGRETS, JEALOUSY AND HAPPINESS

Hermione was beginning to regret showing Tom her memories, he might have just gotten more curious. She scowled and slammed her book shut, she should have just shown him something normal, not something from a flipping war! She scolded herself not feeling too happy anymore. She got up and walked out of the library. She needed somewhere to vent and clear her head, she headed to the room of requirement.

Abraxas glared at the girl who was walking down the hallway, she looked angry. He was watching her because Tom told him to keep an eye on her, he had no idea why. What in the world was so interesting about a mudblood? He despised her, her very presence felt like an insult to him. He felt like strangling her, no one would miss her, after all, she had no family or friends.

Hermione spotted Abraxas glaring at her from a dark corner and she raised an eyebrow at him, he scowled and walked away. What was that all about? Hermione thought as she continued on her way, she shrugged it off.

XXX

Hermione looked at her timetable and scowled, next class was House Witch Duties, "Sexist bastards." She muttered under her breath. She was dreading this lesson ever since she found out it was compulsory, this would be the first class of that subject because the teacher had not been feeling well and the school couldn't find a substitute.

Rose kept sending Hermione glares from across the hall and Hermione found it more than annoying, she wished she could just hex the girl and get it over with.

She walked into the classroom, sat down at a table and stared out a window. She wished that whoever the teacher of this class was would at least be nice, because if she wasn't, Hermione would actually hate a class for the very first time in her life. Hermione had arrived early and so not everybody was here yet, including the teacher, Hermione took out her quill, notebook and textbook and continued staring out the window. She sighed, another boring day in 1943, not being able to be myself and no friends, _I almost miss the war_ , _almost_ , she thought to herself.

XXX

Rose Macmillan was having a bad day, first she blew up her potion in potions which made Tom stare at her annoyed and made the new mudblood girl snicker at her; then Abraxas ignored her completely at lunch while she was trying to talk to him and kept staring at the mudblood and the worst part was when her friends were talking about the mudblood because she apparently beat Abraxas in a duel. It was all unfair! "It's all her fault I'm having a bad day." She muttered to herself and glared at the girl who was staring out of the window, "But I'll show her, just you wait mudblood, just you wait." And it was then that Rose decided that she would teach the girl a lesson, damned mudbloods need to be kept in their place, She thought to herself with a smirk. With that she turned around to face the teacher who had just come into the class.

The moment Hermione set eyes on the teacher, she disliked her. She was thin, had ebony black hair that was pulled into a tight bun, a pretty but strict, mean face and she was wearing a crisp white shirt, a black skirt and black robes. A female version of Snape, Hermione thought to herself.

"Hello class, welcome back to House witch Duties. As you all know, my name is Ms Crichton and I will be your teacher for the rest of the year. This week we'll be focusing on cleaning charms. I will not tolerate any shenanigans in my class any attitude will lead to detention, understood?"

A murmur of yes' went around the class. "Good, so let's begin."

XXX

"Soulless bitch." Hermione hissed as she walked out of the classroom. She got three detentions, just for talking back a little and suggesting other charms! She had also asked her to stay behind so she could talk to her about her attitude! God, she hated that woman.

Rose was watching Hermione from a corner, the time to act was now. She'd already explained the plan to Emma while waiting for Hermione to walk out of class. She watched Hermione walk out of the class and walk down the hall, she stepped out of her corner "Stupefy!" She yelled and it hit Hermione square in the back and she fell to the ground. "Wingardium leviosa." She waved her wand and Hermione began to levitate.

XXX

"Rennervate," Emma said pointing her wand at Hermione. Hermione shot up and scowled at the pair.

"Wipe that scowl off your face mudblood or else." Said Rose.

"Or else what?" Hermione groaned rubbing her arms.

"Or else you'll get worse than we've planned for you mudblood." Emma snarled at her.

Hermione stood up, dusted herself up and looked around, they were in the forbidden forest.

"Confodere!" Rose screamed.

Hermione had no time to deflect it and so she threw herself to the side. The tree behind her had a huge hole put through it. She reached for her wand but it wasn't in her holster, sneaky bitches must have taken it, she thought and sneered. Fighting it is.

"Incendio." Emma shouted from behind her, Hermione dodged that too, this would be harder that she thought. Rose walked up to her from behind and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head backwards so she could stare into her face. "You see this is what we do to mudbloods who think they can just barge in here and do whatever they want." She said putting her wand on her throat. In a desperate attack Hermione flung her arms forward into Rose's face causing Rose to stumble backwards and let go of Hermione's hair, Hermione fell to the ground and groaned, God she hated this. She got up and walked over to Rose who was clutching her bleeding nose, punched her hard in the face and kicked her in the leg, she fell to the ground and blacked out. Hermione had forgotten that Emma was behind her and had no time to dodge the kick that she delivered to her back. Hermione groaned and fell to the ground and Emma kicked her in the face, breaking her nose. "You. Dumb. Stupid. MUDBLOOD!" shouted Emma and with each word she kicked Hermione, mudblood being the hardest kick. Hermione felt one of her ribs break. Hermione caught Emma's foot just as she was about to kick her again and dragged her to the ground, then she got up with a groan and stared at Emma who was still on the ground eyes closed, she looked unconscious, probably hit her head too hard.

Hermione walked over to Rose's unconscious body and knelt down beside her then got her wand from her robe pocket, she'd have to obliviate them, it'd be the best thing to do. Hermione first removing the memories of everything that happened, from when Rose told Emma about the plan, to the part where she knocked her out and did the same to Emma. She then levitated them both to the hospital ward and left them to the care of the nurse, she'd take care of her own injuries.

XXX

Hermione walked into the common room scowling. No one was there, good. She sat in an armchair by the fire and began working on her injuries when she was done she just lay back in the armchair and closed her eyes, she sighed. Reminds me of simpler times, she thought to herself. She heard someone come into the common room and sit on the chair opposite her. She didn't have to open her eyes to know who it was, she'd memorized everyone's footstep patterns by now, a useful trick she'd learnt in the war, and there was only one person who walked like that. "Hello, Riddle." She said without opening her eyes.

"Hello Bellouve, I see you're back to calling me, Riddle."

"You never said I couldn't." Still not opening her eyes.

"You look a mess, where were you at dinner?"

She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. "I daresay that's none of your business but let's just say I had a bit of an adventure."

He raised an eyebrow at her and she just smiled mysteriously back at him then faced the fire and closed her eyes again.

"How was dinner?"

"Fine nothing special."

She nodded and the settled into a comfortable silence. Until Hermione felt Tom pushing at her barriers. She'd had enough she opened her eyes and turned to look at him, he stared in innocently back at her.

"You're an odd one Tom, you really are." She said cocking her head to the side and staring at him.

"And what do you mean by that Bellouve?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm going to bed, goodnight Tom." And with that, she got up and walked to the girl's dormitories.

Tom stared after the girl confused. He hated being confused.

XXX

Hermione walked into Ms Crichton's office. She was about to have detention, she wondered what the old bat had planned for her.

She was surprised to see Tom there.

"Hello, Bellouve." He said with a smirk.

"You've got to be kidding me." She groaned.

"No miss Bellouve I am not. Mr Riddle will be taking care of your detention today since I will be busy attending other matters. I suggest you be grateful to him since he's doing this voluntarily." Said. Hermione groaned inwardly, all the more reason to be upset. Tom gave her a smile and she glared.

"Let's go Bellouve." Said Tom and he walked out of the office. She followed reluctantly.

XXX

They walked out of the castle doors and Hermione turned to stare at him. "What've you got planned for me, Riddle?" She asked with a sigh.

He stared at her for a while before he answered. "We will be looking wolfsbane in the forbidden forest. Professor Slughorn needs it."

She stared at him and snarled. "Perfect."

They duo walked through the forbidden forest in silence. "How much further?" Hermione whined.

"Not too far so I suggest you stop whining, it's annoying." Tom hissed at her. There was a sound of hooves and Tom turned his wand towards the sound, illuminating the place. Thestrals, he hated the creatures, he turned to Hermione and smiled she'd probably be scared out of her mind when she saw them if she saw them. To his surprise, Hermione saw the creatures and smiled.

"Thestrals." She whispered and ran over to them, stroking its bony head, she didn't like them when she was younger but seeing them now filled her with both happiness and sadness remembering how many times they had helped her during the war. She turned around to face Tom she had a mischievous smile on her face.

"What are you thinking?" He asked with a scowl.

"Let's go for a fly." She said with excitement in her voice.

"What?"

"You heard me, let's go for a fly!" She was bouncing up and down like a little girl.

"You're mad, have you ever even ridden those things? Do you know whether they're dangerous or not? Besides we haven't even gotten the wolfsbane yet."

"Yes I have and they're not dangerous at all and as for the wolfsbane," she looked around frantically, "there it is! So grab it and let's go!" She was still jumping.

Tom stared at her bewildered, he walked over to the wolfsbane and cut it and then walked up to her. "Fine."

She clapped her hands and climbed onto one of the thestrals, she was so giddy Tom couldn't help but smile. He got onto one of the thestral's and Hermione turned to look at him, "Let's go!" She kicked the thestral in the side and it spread its leathery wings and flew off and he did the same. Hermione loved the feeling of the wind in her hair and face, she loved how free she felt. She let out a loud whoop, and spread her arms, she felt happier than she had ever been in months. She didn't know how long she spent flying above Hogwarts grounds but she didn't want it to end.

"We should be getting back to land now Bellouve!" Tom shouted from behind her.

She turned around and shouted "OK!" Then she let go of the thestral and went falling through the air, Tom raced after planning to catch her. When Hermione was fifty feet from hitting the ground she pulled out her wand and shouted "Molliare." Then spun onto her back loving the feeling of falling through the air and then she fell onto the ground with a soft thud, thanks the the cushioning charm, she didn't get hurt. She sighed blissfully and then Tom landed harshly beside her glaring down at her, "Don't ever do that again." He snarled and got off the thestral, it walked back into the forest. Hermione turned her head and stared at him. "Oh and why not? It's not like I was going to die or anything."

"I thought you were trying to kill yourself."

"I thought you thought more rationally than that Tom. I don't have a reason to kill myself except maybe to get you in trouble." Hermione lied about not having any reasons to kill herself, she had more than enough.

XXXX

A/N: And there it is. It's the longest chapter I've done in a long time so leave a review of you want more like this. :)


	7. Chapter Seven

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER SEVEN: CHANGES

Hermione had been taking walks in the forbidden forest. Sometimes in the day and sometimes in the evening, she thought it had a certain beauty to it. The walks had become her new therapy, she preferred it to fighting dummies and creatures in the room of requirement. The depression of being in the past had finally started getting to her and the walks helped her forget. Her plans of destroying Voldemort had been put on hold for now, she realised he'd started paying attention to her and that wasn't what she wanted, she wanted to be left alone for a while to clear her thoughts and so she quickly started faking falling for him, he soon lost interest thinking that she was becoming one of his stupid fangirls. She had no intention of rushing things after all she had more than a year right?

XXX

Tom had lost interest in Bellouve, she had started falling for him, just as he thought she would. He hadn't an idea what had got him into thinking she was actually worth his time, she was a mudblood for crying out loud!

XXX

Hermione barely spoke to anyone, ever. She'd only occasionally reply to some rude remarks but other times she ignored them so apart from answering questions in class or greeting someone, she didn't talk. There was a Quidditch match that day, the first match of the year. Hermione didn't plan to go, it reminded her too much of her past.

XXX

Tom was about to walk out of the castle when he spotted Hermione walking down a corridor, the rational side of him told him to leave her be and go to the Quidditch match but the irrational part of him wanted to follow her and find out where she was going because she obviously wasn't going to the match. He listened to the irrational side of him and followed her casting a quick disillusionment charm on himself so she wouldn't see him.

Hermione had a feeling she was being watched and turned around, she saw nothing, she was heading to the room of requirement, she wasn't going to vent, she just needed somewhere calm so she could think clearly and undisturbed.

Tom was surprised that Hermione knew about the room of requirement. After all she'd only been here for a month, she looked around to see if anyone was watching and then she walked in, Tom followed her in right before the door disappeared, Tom didn't know what to expect when he walked into the room, but it was far from what he saw; one side of the room was blue with carpeted floors, it had a fireplace, two sofas and one armchair with a coffee table that had a book on it, right in front of the fire. The other side of the room was grey and all that was there was a dummy. Hermione walked over to the blue side of the room and sat down, she liked the blue and was glad it wasn't red otherwise she was sure she would be crying by now.

Hermione sighed and sat on the armchair, she stared into the flames, still having the feeling that someone was watching her, she dismissed it. She missed home, she just wanted to go back to her time where everyone was alive even if it was during the war, just as long as the people she loved were alive and well. An unexpected tear rolled down her cheek, she didn't bother to wipe it away, she just continued to stare into the flames.

The feeling of being watched was becoming overwhelmingly strong, maybe someone followed me in by using a disillusionment charm. Hermione raised her wand "Homenum revelio." She whispered

Hermione stared at Tom unsurprised and Tom stared back at her with an unreadable expression on his face. She turned away and stared into the flames again. She didn't bother with her shy, 'I'm so in love with you' mask, she'd had enough of it. "What are you doing here Tom?" She said in a cold, hard voice.

Tom was surprised by Hermione's tone and straightforwardness. "I was seeing what you were up to Bellouve since you obviously weren't going to the Quidditch match."

"It isn't compulsory to go to the match Tom, and now that you know what I'm doing, please leave."

"Actually I was thinking that I might stay Bellouve." He said walking over to a sofa and sitting down. Hermione looked at him and then turned back to stare at the fire. God did she hate him. "Why are you here Bellouve?"

"Because I need space." She answered simply.

"Space from what?"

She gripped the arms of the armchair in frustration. "Just shut up Tom." Her teeth were clenched.

"What did you just say Bellouve."

She snapped her head towards him "I said shut up."

"Be careful with the way you speak to me."

She laughed cruelly. "Or what Tom? What could you possibly do to me? I'll tell you what, nothing, so do me a favour and SHUT UP!" Hermione finally lost it.

Tom was pissed, how dare she?! How dare the insolent mudblood talk to him like that? He got up and raised his wand at her "Crucio!"

The pain coursed through Hermione like electricity, she felt as if she was being stabbed and electrocuted at the same time, but she didn't scream, she'd been through worse under the same wand that he was using and she hadn't screamed once, she wasn't going to now.

Tom lifted the curse and watched as Hermione lay panting on the floor, he was unsatisfied, she hadn't screamed once, not once. He stared at her and then to his surprise and utter horror she began to laugh, the laugh of a maniac, she laughed and laughed until she had to sit up and clutch her stomach, she laughed until tears streamed down her face and then she suddenly stopped. She looked at him and cocked her head to the side, she had a crazed look in her eyes and her hair was all over the place. "You really think that was going to work?" She asked. "I'm sorry but you'll have to try harder." And she burst into laughter again. Tom stared bewildered, why wasn't she crying? Why wasn't she begging him to forgive her? And most of all, why was she laughing?!

Hermione found the entire situation funny, he thought he could break her just by torturing her. He'd have to try harder, much much harder at that. The war almost broke her but didn't, he'd have to try way harder, it was almost comical to her, the man who would grow up to ruin her life and everybody else's was standing in front of her fuming because he couldn't get her to scream while torturing her.

Tom had had enough of Hermione's laughing. "Shut up." He said. She shut up and stared at him. "What now Tom?" She asked, a smile in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, aren't you going to try and obliviate me or something?" Hermione got up; dusted herself off and sat on her armchair again and resumed her staring into the fire.

"Why didn't you scream?" Tom asked in a whisper.

"What was that?" Said Hermione turning to look at him.

"Why didn't you scream?"

"Oh that, I've been through worse, much worse, can't say you get used to the pain but also can't say it hurts as much." She shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Tom sat back down on the sofa again, and for once, he didn't know what to do or say. He'd gone completely blank and the girl that sat next to him had done that to him, and so they sat in silence.

"Who are you?" Tom finally asked breaking the silence.

She turned to look at him, there were tears in eyes and she had a sad smile on her face. "Can't say I know the answer anymore."

"Where'd you come from."

"France."

"Don't give me that crap Bellouve, I think we're past that now, where are you really from?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that either. Ask me something that I can tell you."

"How am I supposed to know what I can and what I can't ask you?"

"Then I suggest you keep quiet then." She smiled at him.

He growled, "I'll ask and you tell or else I will put you through much worse than you have been through."

"I highly doubt that's even possible Tom."

He raised his wand but this time she was prepared "Crucio!"

"Protego!" The curse crashed into the wall behind her.

"And here I thought we were getting along so well," Hermione said with a sweet fake smile.

"I've had enough of this." Tom sneered at her.

"You've had enough of this? You were the one that followed me in here, tortured me and started questioning me. I don't see any part that could have caused you distress."

Tom said nothing, she was right. "I'm done with this," Hermione said and walked towards the door. Tom grabbed her arm, "You're not going anywhere till I say so."

Hermione looked him dead in the eye, "Save us both the pain and let me go, we have nothing to talk about. I owe you nothing so please let me go."

Tom let her go and sat down on the sofa, she took one last look at him and left.

Tom was beyond confused and curious, the girl he'd just seen was different from the girl he'd seen a day ago in the hall. He wanted to, no, he needed to know the whole truth.

XXX

Hermione avoided Tom the entire week, everything was ruined. She thought if maybe she avoided him, he would give up and not look for her anymore. What she didn't know was that this only made him more intent on finding her out.

Hermione was alone in the library, she decided to skip dinner, she wanted to be alone in a place that she'd always love. Tom walked into the library, he was skipping dinner because there was a book that he was intent on finishing. He walked to the back of the library and behind a bookshelf to the place that he knew nobody ever went and was surprised to find somebody already there.

Hermione looked up to find Tom staring curiously at her, just perfect. "Hello, Tom."

"Hello, Bellouve."

He sat down opposite her and opened his book they read in a comfortable yet awkward silence. "Why are you skipping dinner?" Asked Hermione, breaking the silence.

"I didn't feel hungry besides I'd much rather finish this book, how about you?" He replied looking up at her.

Hermione glanced at the book cover, it was on dark magic. "Same."

Tom looked at her book cover and smiled. "Interesting choice."

Hermione laughed. "I was bored."

"So you went to search for books on dark magic which you can only find in the restricted section."

"Oh please, yours looks much worse."

He gave her a coy smile. "I happen to be interested in things like this."

"Oh do you now?"

"Yes, I do."

Hermione smiled and went back to reading, for some reason she wasn't angry or disgusted, she felt normal just normal. They continued to read in silence.

Reading at the library during dinner somehow became a ritual. Neither knew how it happened, it just did.

XXX

Tom was wondering why he bothered with Bellouve, she was a mudblood after all and wasn't in anyway useful to him, frankly, he should hate her but for some reason, he didn't. It made him wonder.

Hermione walked into the library and sat down next to Tom, she said her usual hello to him, picked a book from a shelf and began to read, meanwhile Tom just watched her.

Hermione's scar was burning, Rose had hit Hermione's arm with a stinging hex and now it hurt like hell, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from screaming.

Tom looked at Hermione, she was biting her lip, she looked… Cute. She groaned slightly and Tom raised an eyebrow, "Are you OK Bellouve?" He asked, just out of curiosity he told himself.

"Yeah, yeah it's just, it's nothing." She replied nodding. He gave her a strange look but said nothing He was sure something was wrong with her. Hermione was confused, did he actually care or was he just asking out of curiosity. A jolt went through her arm and she felt as if the knife was still being pressed into her arm, she let out a soft cry and clutched the table, neither noticed the red beginning to stain her sleeve. Tom looked at her, "Now seriously what is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She clutched the table harder.

"I don't believe it."

Hermione chuckled. "It's just my arm, I'll be fine."

"Let me see." He reached out for her arm.

"No!" She pulled her arm back but Tom caught it, she struggled in his grip but he was too strong, he pulled up the sleeve of her shirt and froze. On her arm was the word MUDBLOOD carved into her skin. The wound was bleeding, it seemed as if it had been freshly done, the letters seemed bigger and deeper. Tom grasped Hermione's arm tighter, she hissed and he let go. "Who did that?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing- I mean no one, I'll be fine." She stuttered. She pulled her sleeve down and put her book in her bag hurriedly, a tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away hastily and got up from the table. Tom grabbed her other arm and she stopped moving, he looked her dead in the eye. "Who did that?" He asked again. "No one." She pulled her arm, he didn't let go. Tom smashed into her mind.

Hermione was on the floor screaming, a woman was kneeling next to her holding a knife laughing maniacally carving the letters into her skin.

"Stop!" Hermione shouted and blocked him out of her mind, she was crying now, he let go of her arm and she ran out of the library. Tom sat back in his chair shocked by the scene that had just happened.

XXX

Tom watched Hermione for the rest of the week and she had avoided him. Something about Hermione had spiked something in him, for once he actually found himself attracted to someone.

Hermione was walking down a hallway, she was bored, had been bored since she started avoiding Tom, for some reason she missed his company. Hogwarts was practically empty at the moment apart from the first and second year's, everyone had gone to Hogsmeade. She ran her fingers on the walls and sighed she then spotted Tom. Hermione almost called out to him but stopped herself just in time but she then noticed him walking over to her and she didn't make any attempt to walk away. He stood in front of her now and she looked down at her feet, "Hello Bellouve." He said in his usual, smooth voice.

"Hi, Tom." She muttered.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I haven't bee-"

He cut her off by pinning her to the wall, his hands on either side of her head, trapping her. "Don't lie to me, Hermione." He whispered in her ear. It was the first time he'd said her name, Hermione felt a tingle go through her

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I said don't lie."

"Stop it."

He pushed off the wall and looked at her in the eye. "Just tell me."

Hermione folded her arms and stared at her shoes. "Because."

"Because of what?"

"I don't know OK? I just have."

"Then stop."

"Why?"

"Because I like talking to you."

"Why? I'm a mudblood remember?"

"Doesn't mean I can't enjoy your company."

She chuckled. "Whatever." She was still staring at her shoes. Tom stepped closer to her and lifted her chin with his hand, her brown eyes met his blue ones. "Tom I-" Hermione didn't complete her sentence because at that moment his lips met hers.

XxXXXxxxxx

A/N: Boom! Ok, I know this chapter wasn't really planned out or any good but seriously this was all I could think of and at last, they kissed so at least you got that. Anyway thanks for reading! :)


	8. Chapter Eight

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER EIGHT: CHANGES

It only took Hermione a second to react to the kiss. She wrapped her arms around Tom's neck and pulled him closer to her and Tom snaked his arms around her waist. Tom bit Hermione's bottom lip and she gasped, granting him access to her mouth, he explored it with his tongue making Hermione moan slightly. Tom slipped his hand up Hermione's shirt and rested his hand on the curve of her hip, Hermione felt as if her skin burned where Tom touched her. A voice in Hermione's head kept telling her that this was wrong, that she should be shoving him away from her and running in the other direction, but it just felt so _good_ to be held, to be kissed.

Hermione broke the kiss and took a deep breath, she looked up and found Tom staring down at her, they stared into each other's eyes and the intensity of the moment increased and then…...it ended. Footsteps could be heard coming from around the corner, the two quickly broke away from each other just in time to see Professor Slughorn walk into the hallway. Tom was the first to speak, "Good morning Professor." he said in his usual cool voice. Slughorn turned to them and smiled, "Why hello Tom, hello miss Bellouve." Hermione nodded vaguely at Slughorn in acknowledgement and bowed her head obscuring her face from view.

"Tom now that I've got you here, I'd actually like to talk to you about something, that is if you don't mind."

Tom glanced over to Hermione and then turned back to Slughorn, "Not at all Professor."

Hermione took this as her chance to leave, she turned to Tom, "I, um I better get going. I'll see you later." she stammered, Tom nodded stiffly at her and she turned around and walked away.

 _XXX_

 _Why, why, why did you kiss him, Hermione?! It was wrong and wrong and completely irresponsible, how could you do this to yourself? How could you be so stupid?!_ Hermione kept scolding herself as she stormed into the Slytherin common room and threw herself onto an armchair in front of the fire, she sighed exasperatedly, "Everything's definitely gone to shit now." she muttered under her breath. The only problem was that she couldn't bring herself to actually regret kissing him.

XXX

Tom watched Hermione as she walked away and smirked inwardly. He didn't understand why he kissed her but to him, it really didn't matter because now he wanted her and whatever he wanted, he always got. He turned back to Slughorn and smiled, "So what do you want to talk to me about, Professor?"

XXX

Hermione paced back and forth in the common room wondering what to do, avoiding him just seemed to make matters worse and faking things just wasn't her style, apparently, the only thing she had done since she had come here was mess up things. _You know what, I won't hide from him, I've messed up everything anyway_ , _what more is there to lose?_ Hermione took a deep breath and sat down, she was sick of this, no more playing games, it was time to sit down and make a proper plan, one that she wouldn't screw up like all the others, and with that, her mind was set.

XXX

Tom found Hermione in the common room staring into the green flames of the fireplace, he didn't speak as he sat next to her. He expected her to talk first and when she didn't he got tired of waiting and cleared his throat, she turned to him and raised an eyebrow expectantly and when he didn't say anything she turned back to the flames. Tom was dumbfounded, she well and truly had him dumbfounded, "Listen, about earlier-"

"It was just a kiss, Tom, I get it, it meant nothing. That's what you were going to say, right?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Right."

She smiled, "Good. Anyway, I'm going to bed, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight." he watched her walk up the stairs and disappear into the girl's dormitories.

XXX

The classroom was filled with chatter and laughter, Hermione sat onto her chair with a long sigh, boy did she hate this class. The class grew silent as Professor Crichton walked into the class, Hermione had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at the woman, did she always have to look so damn angry?

"Good morning ladies." Said Crichton, her sharp eyes scanning the class, "Today we shall be learning about cleaning charms and spells." that was all she needed to say for Hermione to look out the window and completely zone out.

XXX

Abraxas looked over to Tom who was watching the Bellouve girl and wondered what exactly had him so focused on her, she was just a dull mudblood after all, so what was so damn interesting that almost everyone had their minds on her. He cleared his throat and Tom snapped his head towards him, "Yes Abraxas?" he asked seemingly annoyed.

"I just wanted to ask, when's the next meeting?"

"Tonight, the room of requirement seven p.m sharp, don't be late." and with that, Tom got up and walked out of the great hall.


	9. Chapter Nine

A/N: Well here it is, finally bet you thought I wouldn't post it! God you have no idea how much time I spent over the past few weeks to come up with this, thank you guys for giving me that deadline! Also, there will be a part two of this chapter.

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP IN AN WAY ALTHOUGH I REALLY WISH I DID, MEH IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE AS AMAZING IF I OWNED IT CAUSE LET'S FACE IT, I'M A REALLY CRAPPY WRITER.**

CHAPTER NINE: WALKS AND WANDS

Hermione watched Abraxas walk to the room of requirement and smirked, she had followed him on a hunch and turned out, she was right, they were having a death eater meeting that night in the room of requirement and she was going to be there to listen to everything single word. Abraxas looked around before entering the room of requirement and Hermione slipped in after him.

XXX

Hermione walked into the forbidden forest, her hands in the pockets of her hoodie, she heard a crack and turned to make sure that nobody was following her, truth be told she was bored. Last night's meeting had been filled with only a few interesting facts most of which were completely irrelevant to her. Hermione sighed and slumped against a tree, she pulled out her wand and cast her Patronus, she smiled as the otter pranced around her and then something strange happened, her otter disappeared leaving a trail of wispy white light, she frowned, that was odd.

Tom put his book down and put his hands behind his head, his mind was swirling with suspicions about the last Death Eater meeting, something was off during the meeting. He could tell the minute Abraxas entered that something was off like there was an extra presence or something, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

XXX

Hermione thought of her happy memory again and pointed her wand, expect patronum, and the wispy trail of light came again but instead of an otter coming out a great silver and blue Hippogriff came out of her wand and she stumbled, "What the-"

"Hermione?" A voice came from behind her.

She lost her concentration and the Hippogriff vanished, she turned around sharply to face her intruder and was shocked to see who it was. "Tom?"

"Hermione," he smirked at her.

"Did you follow me here or something?"

"Far from that actually, I just wanted to take a walk."

"In the forbidden forest?" she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes actually, I find this place quite…. Charming."

"OK."

"What was that spell you did just now? The one that caused the Hippogriff to appear."

"You, the great Tom Riddle do not know what spell that was?"

"Well if I did, I wouldn't be asking you, so what was it?"

"It was a The Patronus charm."

"What is it meant for?"

"It scares off dementors."

"Oh OK, then why were you casting it?"

"I-I just wanted to see it but then something weird happened, it changed and- why am I even telling you this, can you stop asking questions?"

"Fine." He crossed his arms and smirked at her.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Barge onto someone and then just stand an smirk at them, it's annoying."

"Oh that, I don't do it to anyone apart from you, I like watching you squirm."

"Merlin, you're despicable."

"Why thank you."

Hermione turned away from him and began walking deeper into the forest, humming to herself, she wanted a little bit of space from Tom, she knew it was no use though because soon enough, he started following her.

"You know a forest like this, is really no place for a girl."

Hermione turned around and pointed her wand to his throat, "I'm no ordinary girl Tom and I don't like it when people assume that that's what I am, an ordinary girl."

Tom glared at her, "And I think that you should stop overestimating yourself."

He grabbed her arm that was holding the wand, twisted it so she spun around and pinned it to her back, "Here's a lesson for you, never, ever let your guard down and also don't ever point your wand at me like that again." he let her go and she stumbled slightly, she turned around to glare at him but he was already walking away, "Come on let's go back before anyone starts looking for us, sorry, I mean me."

Hermione started after him and suddenly an idea popped into her head, she decided she'd play around with him just to see his reaction, she giggled and sent a stinging hex at him, purposely missing; Tom turned around sharply and glared at her, "What do you think you're doing?"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked innocently

"I'm not messing around, Hermione, let's go back."

"Well I will but you have to catch me first." She laughed and ran further into the forest.

It only took Tom a minute to follow her, he honestly didn't know why he did, in fact, he thought it was quite stupid but still, he found himself running after her and laughing.

Hermione ran through the trees creating barrier spells for Tom each stronger than the next and he broke each and every one of them. Hermione broke into a clearing, she searched around frantically for somewhere to hide but she couldn't seem to find anywhere, a laugh came from behind her and an arm snaked around her waist, Tom pulled her onto his chest and Hermione gasped.

"Got you," he whispered in her ear. Hermione's heart was pounding, the feeling of being so close to him, too many feelings were flowing through her, she needed to get away from him and quick before she did something stupid. There was a rustle from a corner and she turned to see what it was, a thestral, thank Merlin. She craned her neck to look up at Tom and smiled

"Nope," she said and elbowed him in the ribs, he groaned and let go of her, she ran to the thestrals and thestral climbed onto one, kicked it in the side so it flew up into the air, she let out a long whoop and then looked down at Tom. "Are you coming or not?!" she shouted. Tom looked up at her and smirked, he found it hard to believe that she made him this impulsive, he walked over to one of the thestral and climbed onto it, kicked it in the side and off he went flying after Hermione.

XXX

Hermione rolled onto the grass laughing and Tom sat down beside her and sighed, "You really are childish you know." he said looking down at her, Hermione stuck her tongue out at him "You know it's basically past curfew and we still haven't gotten back to the castle yet." she said mockingly.

"Who's fault is that?"

"Hmm, yours?"

"Why you little brat." Tom grabbed her wrists pinning her to the ground, his blue eyes staring into her brown ones, their faces inches away from each other. "I dare you to say that again."

"It's all your fault."

Tom's eyes flickered to her lips for a second and he quickly moved them back to her eyes thinking she didn't notice, she did, she put her hand on his cheek slowly and when he didn't react she pulled his face down until finally their lips met and sparks flew.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: There will be a part two to this chapter and I hoped you guys liked all the fluff, I tried as hard as I could.


	10. Chapter Ten

A/N: Ok so I've gone over a few things in this story and realised that it doesn't really make too much sense, and now because of that they're in their sixth year instead of seventh because the only thing that confirmed that they were in the seventh year was the fact that Tom was head boy, well he's not anymore.

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP IN ANY WAY, EVERYTHING BELONGS TO JK.**

CHAPTER TEN: THE DANGERS

Abraxas was mad, no scratch that, Abraxas was pissed. Tom was with the mudblood, the mudblood of all people! Such filth and he could actually bear to talk to her, to touch her. He couldn't wrap his head around it, Tom had to have a plan for her, he just had to, there was no point in being with her unless he wanted something from her or he wanted to kill her. Abraxas suspected the latter but he couldn't be sure. He walked into the Slytherin common room and sat down in an armchair, he put his head in his hands and sighed, maybe he was hallucinating, maybe it wasn't them he'd seen outside, Merlin he hoped it wasn't. Just remembering them made his skin crawl, her hand on his arm and her head on his shoulder and he was laughing, Tom bloody Riddle was laughing. Abraxas shook his head, I've got to calm down, he got up from the chair and walked to the boy's dormitories he needed sleep, maybe that would help him.

XXX

Tom knew that Abraxas had seen them, he smirked wondering what could be going through his mind at this point, it was a funny situation but he needed to fix it quick, because if Abraxas thought that he was associating himself with a mudblood he'd think that he was becoming weak and if he thought that he could lose his status pretty quick because in this world a half-blood was still a half-blood and people's fear was what got you respect and without it, you were nothing.

XXX

Hex after hex, curse after curse, spell after spell; things flew and things broke, a havoc was what it was. Hermione flew at Tom with such speed that he barely had time to move out of the way when she threw her next curse, she laughed with a crazed look in her eyes and when he dived out of the way and he scowled at her. He lifted both his hands and started muttering under his breath Hermione stood on the other side of the room staring at him with her wand raised anticipating his next move, suddenly a fireball came flying at her, she dodged and it hit the wall behind her leaving a giant hole in it. She quickly wiped the shocked expression from her face and smirked at him, wandless huh, let's go then. She slipped her wand back into its holster in her robe and stood still, she closed her eyes and lifted both her hands slowly from her side, _umbra ignis_ , her eyes opened suddenly and she thrust her hands out in front of her, heat and darkness began to engulf the room. "Balla soilleir!" Tom shouted and a large beam of light appeared threatening to take over the darkness, Hermione fought against him but in the end, she lost. Tom blasted her across the room and she hit the wall, she rolled onto the cushions on the floor with a loud groan and Tom laughed, he took a dramatic bow and clapped slowly for himself. Hermione sat up and glared at him playfully while clutching her side, she took a pillow from the floor and threw it at him, he caught it in his hands and smirked. Tom walked over to her and crouched down in front of her, "I. Win." he said and flicked her lightly on the forehead. Hermione laughed a fake laugh and then shoved him away, he laughed and dusted himself off, "I have to say though, you did surprise me with that spell, dark magic didn't think you were the type."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." she said with a smile.

"But I'll figure you out eventually."

Hermione laughed, "Yeah, right."

XXX

Tom glared at the death eaters that stood before him. He was angry, beyond angry, fucking furious. He began pacing back and forth sternly. Eventually, he stopped and stared at every one of them in their eyes. "We're here today because one of you fools messed up." he spat the words with venom in his voice. There was an eerie redness in his eyes. He lifted his wand and pointed it at Abraxas, "Malfoy. What exactly did you do after I told you to take care of that Dorthien girl?"

"I passed the order onto Avery and Sivian, my Lord."

Tom turned around swiftly to face Avery and Sivian, the seemed to cower under his gaze. He smirked and walked over to them. "Now you, why don't you entertain us with the idiotic plan that you came up with."

"My Lord-"

"Kneel." Avery dropped to one knee.

"My Lord we decided to lure the girl into the forest to obliviate her."

"But that didn't happen now, did it, Avery?"

"No, my Lord."

"You ended up killing her, didn't you Avery?"

Aver said nothing, Tom kicked him hard in the chest and placed his foot on his chest, "I said, didn't you Avery?"

"Yes my Lord but-" he was cut off by his own scream, Tom had cast the cruciatus on him. Tom watched Avery squirm and scream on the floor and glared in disgust. Tom lifted the curse and turned away from Avery who lay gasping on the floor. He walked over to Sivian and stopped when he was in front of him, "Now Sivian, why don't you tell us what happened in the forest."

Sivian knelt before he spoke, "My Lord, the girl panicked and she lost it we-"

"A fifteen-year-old mudblood girl panicked and lost it? My, my how terrifying. What did you do Sivian?"

"She, I-I killed her."

"What was that Sivian, you did what?"

"I killed her."

"Thought so. Crucio." Sivian tried to hold back his screams by digging his nails into his skin and biting his bottom lip but in the end he failed and let out a long harsh scream, the sound was deafening.

After having enough of staring at Sivian twitching and screaming on the floor he lifted the curse and sneered at him. He turned his head to look at Abraxas, "As for you, Malfoy. The next time you pass down an order that I gave specifically to you, the words coming out of my mouth will be more than just crucio. Am I clear?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Good." Tom turned to face them all, "Let this be a lesson to all of you, if you ever disobey my orders or mess anything up in the slightest, your punishment shall be severe. You're all dismissed."

Everyone turned to leave. "Except for you Malfoy, you stay behind."

XXXX

A/N: Regular updates every Tuesday and if you're lucky, Friday. Hoped you liked this chapter.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP IN ANYWAY, ALL PRAISES GO TO THE QUEEN.**

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE DARK SIDE

" _You're all dismissed."_

 _Everyone turned to leave. "Except for you Malfoy, you stay behind."_

Abraxas turned around slowly to face Tom, Tom gave him a cold smile and turned away.

Tom waited until everyone had left to speak again. The slight look of fear and confusion in Abraxas eyes made Tom chuckle, it echoed around the room. "I suppose I should probably tell you why you're here."

Abraxas said nothing. "It's about the mudblood, Bellouve. I suppose that you've been wondering what I've been doing walking around with such filth, so here's your answer; she's hiding something from me, something that I want and when I finally get it from her, I'll give you the honour of ridding the world of a mudblood. Until then I want you to keep a close eye on her and If anything, anything at all happens you tell me immediately. Do you understand Abraxas?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Good, you may leave."

Abraxas turned to leave, "Oh and Abraxas, don't even try telling the others about this conversation or I swear on Merlin's wand that I'll kill you."

XXX

The walks weren't helping anymore. Hermione no longer felt at ease, her past seemed to be taunting her. Her mind was slowly breaking while trying to stay sane, working with the bad guy to try and avenge the good guy in a different timeline. Somehow she found that spending time with him was actually quite enjoyable and she hated this fact, she always ended up consoling herself by telling herself that it was all for the greater good. Even after the two months that she'd been stuck in the past with him, Hermione still couldn't understand him properly, her plan seemed to slowly be working but she could never be sure of herself.

Hermione heaved one more punch at the dummy and flopped onto the ground with a long sigh, she was frustrated (again), Tom had Abraxas following her and she couldn't figure out why.

She stood up and dusted herself off, she walked over to her robes and put them on she checked her watch and smiled, she had transfiguration with Dumbledore in thirty minutes.

XXX

"That is it for Gamp's law of elemental transfiguration. You are all dismissed." Said Dumbledore. Hermione closed her notebook and put it into her bag.

"Miss Bellouve I'd like to talk to you before you leave."

Hermione turned around and smiled, "Sure professor."

She walked over to his desk and he nodded at her, "Miss Bellouve I've noticed that recently you've been spending a lot of time with Mr Riddle lately and don't take this the wrong way Miss Bellouve but I'd like to warn you about him."

"Warn me, professor?"

"Yes Miss Bellouve, Tom is a perfect student, don't get me wrong but he might be a bit dangerous and I just want you to be careful. I suggest you try and keep your distance from him, I don't want you to get hurt."

"All due respect professor, I know what I'm doing and besides, I don't think Tom could ever hurt me."

"I understand that you're a smart girl and I do believe that you'll take care of yourself but if anything ever happens, I want you to know that my door is always open."

"Thank you, professor." Hermione nodded and turned around and left.

"Why were you in there for so long?" Tom asked Hermione as he walked alongside her to the library.

"Dumbledore wanted to talk to me."

"About what?"

"Nothing too important, just about class."

"Really?"

"Yes." He raised an eyebrow at her, "Honestly stop being so paranoid, he's a teacher for Merlin's sake."

Tom nodded at her and she smiled. They walked into the library and to their normal spot it was there that Tom grabbed her arm and pressed her to the wall, "What did he want to talk to you about?" he asked with a hiss.

"Nothing," she replied with big, wide innocent eyes.

"Don't lie to me Hermione." their faces were inches apart now, his nose almost touching hers.

"As I said, it was nothing. It's actually quite funny really." She rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"What is it, Hermione?"

She turned her face to look him dead in the eyes, "The old fool warned me to stay away from you."

Tom frowned and let go of her, he let out a sigh and chuckled. "Typical."

Tom sat down in a chair and pulled a book out of his bag, Hermione's blood ran cold when she read the title, 'Magicks Moste Evile.' She let out a breath and shook her head.

"What book is that about?" She asked. Tom raised an eyebrow at her and smirked, "Do you happen to know anything about Horcruxes Hermione?"

Hermione didn't know what to tell him, she stayed still.

A Horcrux, Hermione, is the key to immortality."

"H-how so?"

"By splitting your soul Hermione, and I Tom Riddle have found a way to do just that."

"Oh."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Well that's it for today, I have exams coming up tomorrow and I've gotta study so you guys might get another chapter on Saturday because that'll be celebration day!


	12. Chapter Twelve

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP IN ANYWAY. ALL CHARACTERS EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT MENTIONED IN HARRY POTTER BELONG TO JK ROWLING.**

A/N: Well here, sorry that it's a bit short, turns out that exams finishing doesn't mean I have total freedom which kinda sucks but I'll get over it. Has anyone else noticed that Tom kinda resembles Gaara from Naruto a little bit? Their characters are extremely alike.

CHAPTER TWELVE: LESS OF A HUMAN

Tom stood in front of the diary and smiled, this was the key to his immortality. He could admit to himself that he felt a bit of fear from what he was about to do, he could become disfigured or worse, get the incantation wrong and kill himself. He wouldn't know unless he tried. He picked up his wand and pointed it at the diary whispering the incantation slowly and then he turned the wand to himself, the incantation was different but yet the same this time, when he was done he felt nothing at first and then the pain began. It felt nothing like any pain he had experienced before. He fell to his knees and felt as if he was being ripped in two, his body was on fire and he felt for sure that he was going to die, his head felt as if it was going to burst as if a tremendous amount of pressure had been placed on him, he couldn't help but let out the scream that he'd been trying to hold back and when he did thousands of other voices screamed along with him and suddenly it all stopped, everything just ended. He lay on the floor panting, his mind was blank but relieved.

XXX

Hermione had been wary for the past few days, ever since Tom had brought up the idea of a Horcrux in the library, he had said nothing about it but Hermione knew full well that he would make one soon and it'd be his diary, she just had no idea when. She didn't worry herself too much about this though, him being less human didn't affect her in any way all she knew was she'd try and make her plan succeed before he lost his mind and turned inhuman completely.

Hermione looked up as Tom walked into the room of requirement. He looked tired almost, his hair was dishevelled, he held his robe in his hand and the top button of his shirt was undone; for some reason, Hermione found that she prefered him like this when he didn't play the role of mister Perfect Prefect.

"What happened to you?" She asked with a smirk.

He cocked his head at her and smiled with such a crazed look in his eyes that it actually scared her, "I did it." he says, "I Tom Marvolo Riddle has finally done it!"

"Done what Tom?" Her voice trembles, she knew the answer but she just couldn't understand how much she didn't want it to be true.

He walks over to her and crouches and puts his hands on her shoulders, "I created a Horcrux Hermione, I've finally done it." he gets up and leans against the wall smiling and shaking his head, still with the look in his eyes. For that moment Hermione was stunned, a few hours ago she thought that she wouldn't have minded when she found out that he had created a Horcrux but now she realised how wrong she was. For some reason, this affected her a great deal and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why.

"Well," he turns to face her, "aren't you going to congratulate me?"

For what? She wanted to say but instead, she looked up at him and smiled, "Spectacular," she says, "simply spectacular." He nods and laughs, "I know isn't it?"

You're crazy, another thing she wanted to say, you're a sick manipulative bastard that's what makes you what you are, crazy; she knew she couldn't say any of this and so she kept her mouth shut. One thing she learned about Tom Riddle while she'd been stuck here in the past was that he loved to be praised. She got up from her chair and walked over to him, he stared down at her with a red glint in his eyes that made her want to back away from him but she stood strong. "Brilliant really, how did you do it?" she asks almost reluctantly and places a hand on his chest. Tom puts a hand under her chin and lifts her face, forcing her to look into his eyes, "Oh I couldn't possibly tell you that." he chuckles moving his hand to cup her cheek. "Why?" she asks.

"I don't want to scare you." he laughs a crazed laugh and kisses her, she wants to pull away but doesn't, she doesn't want him touching her, she didn't like him being close to her while he was like this but she does nothing, she couldn't. When he pulls away from her she looks at him questioningly, "What do you mean 'scare me'?"

"Oh come on Hermione, you don't really want to hear the tale of how I spilt my soul now, do you?"

"Actually I do."

Tom sighs pushes past her and walks to the other side of the room, "All I can say is that it hurt, a lot but it was worth it because now I can live without fear of death, I've found a way to cheat death Hermione, now be happy and lets start the duel."

He looked overjoyed, she wouldn't have minded this if he didn't look crazy as well, but nevertheless, she didn't want to make him mad so she doesn't say a word more about it. And the duel began.

XXXXXXXX

Well that's it for today, I honestly was out of ideas completely and that's why it's so short but 894 shouldn't be too bad for now (I'm not counting the chapter heading or the disclaimer and ANs.) Hope you guys can forgive me for the crappiness of it. Tell me what you guys thought about it in the review section.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE MIND OF A MONSTER

Tom didn't feel any difference at all after splitting his soul, he felt as normal as he had before. Hermione had been shocked when he had told her that was for sure but she seemed to be coming to terms with it. In all honesty, the only difference that Tom felt was a greater need for power, being able to accomplish the task of creating a Horcrux had made him realize that he would be able to accomplish anything if he just tried and currently he was working on how to create another.

Tom didn't realise when or how but he had actually become quite fond of Hermione, she was the only person that he could actually bring himself to care about. She was a mysterious girl with an even more mysterious past but Tom didn't see her as a threat, he saw her as an opportunity for change, nevermind her filthy blood she was still an excellent witch and he'd be damned if he let that hold her back.

XXX

Tom watched as Abraxas screamed and twitched in pain, coward, he thought, you're an absolute coward. Abraxas hadn't done anything extremely wrong, Tom was just annoyed. He had been called for "a little chat" with Dumbledore about the disappearance of Adriana Dorthien, it went smoothly but as usual, Dumbledore could tell that there was something off with his story.

XXX

Hermione's arm was bleeding again and Tom was frustrated that she still wouldn't tell him who the woman who did it to her was or why she did it to her, hacking into her mind would be no use because she'd block him out in a matter of seconds and she'd also begin to ignore him again and he wanted neither of those things. Something seemed to be running through her mind though as they sat and tried to stop the bleeding in her arm and he needed to know what it was this time or he'd lose it.

"What is it?" He asked looking up at her.

Hermione looked up from her bleeding arm and frowned, "What do you mean?

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." she hesitated before she spoke, she was hiding something.

"You're lying, what is it?"

She sighed, "Seriously it's nothing, just trying to remember something."

Tom felt a bit of anger spark in himself, why wouldn't she just tell him something? She hid things too much and he was beginning to get quite fed up with it.

"Will you stop?!" Hermione jumped at his outburst. "Stop hiding things from me and just tell me what the hell it is!"

"I'm, sorry but I don't know what you're tal-"

"Don't fucking lie to me." Hermione looked at him with a bit of fear in her eyes, she had to be cautious. She closed her eyes, sighed and threw her head back.

"I have detention with Crichton tomorrow and I'm just pissed off about that, no big deal."

Tom looked at her and raised an eyebrow questioningly but before he could say anything she pulled her arm from his grasp and got up from the table.

"I've got to go there's no point in trying to heal this thing anyway." without another word she turned around and left.

XXX

Tom felt light-headed, his vision was slightly blurred and there was this feeling inside him that he couldn't comprehend all he knew was that he needed some air.

Tom walked into the forbidden forest and smiled, much better. He walked for a while and soon saw something odd, Hermione was sitting on a log leaning against a tree staring up at the sky, a hippogriff stood next to her, it wasn't real though. He noticed something else, she was crying and he wondered why but he didn't want to interrupt her. He decided to leave but before he could, she wrapped her arms around herself and bowed her head, "If only you were here, Draco." she said it so softly he almost didn't hear her but he heard her nonetheless and it enraged him to no end. Tom decided to head back to the castle to go over what she could have possibly meant.

XXX

Tom sat in an armchair in the room of requirement and stared into the green flames of the fireplace. He heard the door open and then heard footsteps, he didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Hermione sat down in the armchair opposite him with a sigh and they both kept quiet until Tom finally broke the silence. "Who is he?" He asked without looking up.

"Who's who?" Hermione replied utterly stunned by his question.

"Who is Draco?"

Hermione kept quiet.

"You heard me Hermione, who the hell is he?"

"Tom, he's no one."

"Hermione I swear if you lie to me one more time-"

"Just stop it, Tom! I'm sick of it, I'm tired of you acting as if you own me, it's sick, you're sick!"

"Watch yourself Hermione."

"Or what, what in the world could you possibly do to me?!"

Tom shot up from his chair and pointed his wand at her. "I said watch yourself," he began to walk slowly towards her when he reached her he put the tip of his wand on her neck, "just answer my question, Hermione."

"No." she stood her ground. Tom's eyes turned red with rage, Hermione's confidence began to falter.

"Who. Is. He?"

"He's no one okay? He's dead!" Her voice cracked and a tear ran down her cheek, "He's dead, it doesn't matter anymore."

The redness in Tom's eyes began to fade and he lowered his wand.

"Why are you crying?"

"I don't have the right to cry about a dead friend?"

Tom said nothing and just stared at her, "Who was he to you?"

"A friend that I cared a lot about."

Hermione looked at him expectantly and Tom sighed and shook his head, he wasn't going to apologise, he didn't need to and nor did he want to. Hermione grabbed her bag, got up from her chair and walked out of the room of requirement. Tom sat back down in the armchair and sighed, she was still lying and she was still hiding things and sooner or later he'd find out what they were.

XXXXXX

A/N: Yeah sorry for the shittiness of this all. I'm working on a particular story right now that I only have a month to finish and that's put a bit of pressure on me and I'm also publishing this new tomione that I've been working on for a while now so that also affected this chapter.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP.**

A/N: Rhis chapter might have more curse words than usual because I wrote it while angry.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: MINE

Hermione looked down at Abraxas' unconscious body and sighed, she'd told him to stop following her. She heard a laugh from behind her and she turned around sharply only to find a smiling Tom.

"I see you're in a bad mood today."

"Don't start with me." She was still angry with him.

Tom raised his hands in mock surrender and laughed. "It's OK I won't tell."

Hermione glowered at him. "Stop it."

"Ok, ok feisty. Just trying to lighten the mood here."

"You know what, you take care of him, he's your minion after all." with that she harshly pushed past him and walked out of the castle.

XXX

Abraxas woke up with a sharp hiss and looked up to find Tom glaring down at him.

"Look at you, pathetic. You let a mudblood beat you down, Merlin it's a wonder you didn't piss yourself as well." Tom sneered at him.

Abraxas glared back at him and snarled, "Maybe if you weren't so fucking infuriated with her it wouldn't have happened."

Tom laughed coldly, "I doubt that Malfoy but please do tell me what you mean."

"I mean that if she wasn't your little plaything and you weren't spending half of your time thinking of different ways to fuck her, I would have killed her by now."

Tom's face visibly darkened, "What did you say, Malfoy?"

Abraxas smirked, "I said if you weren't so busy spending half of your time thinking of different ways to fuck her, I would have killed he-"

Abraxas was abruptly cut off because Tom began to choke him, "Don't ever and I mean ever talk to me like that again or I swear, Malfoy, I swear I'll kill you." Tom snarled. He let go of him and Abraxas gasped for air, his eyes were watery and his face was flushed. Tom took one more moment to sneer at him before turning around sharply to leave.

XXX

The castle was empty again, everyone but Hermione, Tom and the second and first years remained in the castle.

"Hello, girl." Said a smooth, cold voice and Hermione looked up from her book startled by the voice and to her surprise, no one was there.

"Up here, girl."

Hermione looked up and there floating near the ceiling was a ghost in the school uniform, a Slytherin. Hermione was sure she'd never seen this ghost before but at the same time, she did recognize her.

"W-who are you?" Hermione asked, still startled.

The girl chuckled and smiled before floating down to the table Hermione was sitting on.

"You mean you don't remember me?"

"I'm sorry, no."

The girl sighed and shook her head, "Well I guess that was expected but it still hurts to think that no one remembers me, not even the outcast mudblood."

"Who are you?" Hermione was beginning to get annoyed.

"Oh sorry, I'm Adriana Dorthien, I died a week ago but still nobody's found my body yet and so everyone still thinks I'm missing or I've run away. I wonder how long it'll take before they begin to realize it." The girl folded her arms and huffed.

Hermione remembered who the girl was, she had sat next to her in potions for a month before she disappeared, it was surprising that she was dead.

"How did you die?"

The girl's eyes widened and she laughed, "Now that's a question I didn't think you'd ask."

"Why's that?"

"Because people barely ever want to know about how others die, it usually saddens them too much."

"Well, I want to know so please go on tell me."

"I was murdered, in the forest."

"How?"

"You're quite curious now aren't you? Two boys, they tricked me into going with them, they said they had something to show me. When I realized that they were trying to trap me into something, I panicked. I kicked and I screamed I threw rocks and I even tried to run but of course, that didn't help me. They both laughed at me and said that no one could help me now, it was then that I realized that I still had my wand in my pocket, the idiots hadn't thought to take it from me. I fired a few spells and at that point, they lost it, one came up from behind me and smashed my head into a tree which made me lose grip of my wand and while he held me back the other picked my wand up, held it to my throat and killed me. Next thing I know, I'm a ghost. It's funny really, killed by my own wand." Adrianna turned to look out the window.

"Who were they?"

Adrianna turned to look at Hermione and gave her a half smile. "Avery and Sivian, friends of Tom Riddle if I'm correct."

Hermione's face drained of colour. "Yes, they are."

Adrianna frowned at Hermione, "What's wrong?"

Hermione shook her head and looked up at her, "Nothing, I-I have to leave."

Hermione got up from the table and ran out of the library. Arianna watched her leave, "Bye."

XXX

Tom was startled when Hermione came into the common room with her wand raised and snarled at him.

"You," she growled, "what the hell did you do?"

"I don't know Hermione, what did I do?" He replied casually.

"Don't play games with me, Riddle."

"I'm not, I just don't know what I did."

"That girl, the Dorthien girl you killed her didn't you?"

"I don't know what you-"

"Don't lie to me, Tom!"

He raised his hands. "Hermione, I had nothing to do with it if you could just calm down."

"I won't calm down, Tom, just tell me the truth. Were you the one who told Avery and Sivian to kill her?"

"No Hermione, I didn't, I swear. I didn't even know she was dead."

"You didn't have anything to do with it?"

"No, I did not. "

Hermione sighed and sat down in a chair, "I'm sorry."

Tom sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "It's alright."

How the hell did she find out about the girl, who told her? It couldn't have been Avery, Sivian or Malfoy, it had to be someone else, someone that wasn't part of the deatheaters but whoever the culprit was he would find them and when he did, he'd eliminate them for good

XXX

Tom walked into the boy's dormitories and there was a giggle from behind him, he turned around sharply with his wand raised and came face to face with a ghost.

"Hello, Tom."

"Hello, Adrianna."

XXXXX

A/N: That's all for today folks! If you guys wanna check out any of my other stories you can check out my website at .com.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT HP, COME ON IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS.**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: MINE

" _Hello, Tom."_

" _Hello, Adrianna."_

 _So you're the one._ Tom wasn't shocked to see Adrianna, he'd seen her around the castle, she'd been stalking him in a way.

"Why'd you tell her what happened to you, Adrianna?"

"What? It's my death I have a right to tell people." Adrianna cocked her head to the side and smiled at him innocently.

"You knew what you were doing?"

"Of course I did, I wouldn't have if I didn't."

"She thinks I killed you. Why Adrianna, why did you do it?"

"Because you're with her Tom! You picked her over me, me of all people!"

"We were never together Adrianna." Tom took his robes off and sat down on a chair.

"Yes we were, you told me you-"

"What I said didn't matter, I lied."

"N-no you didn't, you told me you loved me, you swore!" She had tears in her eyes, Tom rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I don't care what I did Adrianna, I lied to you get over it. You're dead and she's not."

"I'll kill her then, I-I'll kill both of you!"

"I'd like to see you try Adrianna, now get out."

"How could you? I will not just be forgotten, Tom! I will not-"

"I don't care what you will and will not do just fucking leave!" He finally lost his temper.

The ghost scowled harshly at him before disappearing. _Now to find a way to actually kill her_. Tom sighed and threw his head back, this was going to take a while.

XXX

Fleamont looked at the girl who sat next to him, "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Hermione looked over at him and smiled. Harry's grandfather, Fleamont, had been sitting next to her in potions ever since Adrianna had died and each time she looked at him she felt a slither of happiness and sadness enter her which made her want to break down in tears and laugh at the same time, it was horrible.

"Get the potion right every time."

Hermione laughed and shook her head, "I'm used to making potions, I find it fun."

"Fun? You're trying to tell me you enjoy sitting in a dark room and staring at a boiling cauldron for hours?"

"Yes?"

"You're crazy." They both laughed and for a moment Hermione felt truly happy until saw Tom glaring t both of them from his seat in the front row. T _he bastard always finds a way to ruin everything._

XXX

"Why were you talking to the Potter boy?" Tom asked Hermione as they walked through the halls.

"Why, what do you mean why? Do I not have a right to speak to people anymore?"

"I wasn't saying that Hermione, I just want to know why."

"Because he's my potions partner and he asked me a question, it'd be rude to not answer."

"Why were you laughing?"

"Because he said something funny, look Tom I'm tired of you interrogating me like I did something wrong, let go of it."

Tom grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall. "No, I won't."

"Why?"

"Because you're mine and I don't like sharing what's mine, especially with a half-wit Gryffindor."

Hermione chuckled and tried to push him off, "I don't belong to you."

Tom let go of her and smiled. "You do, you'll see."

XXX

Adrianna hovered behind the bookshelf and focused on a particular book, fall, she thought and it fell off of the shelf. She reached out to touch the book and sighed as she watched her fingers go through it. _I don't think I'll ever get used to being dead_. Adrianna stopped what she was doing when she heard a familiar voice, she peeked through the gaps in the books and scowled when she saw who it was. Sivian. She smirked and came out from behind the bookshelf.

Sivian cowered as Adrianna repeatedly shouted the same question over and over again.

"Why did you kill me Sivian, why?!"

"I didn't mean to, it wasn't supposed to happen!" He burst.

"What do you mean?"

"I-I was supposed to obliviate you but then you panicked and I got carried away. I-I'm sorry."

"Well, sorry's not much use now, I'm dead. Why were you going to obliviate me?"

"Tom, Tom Riddle said he wanted you to forget something, he gave the job to Malfoy who then gave it to me. It wasn't my fault, I didn't want to do it."

"Liar, why, why would Tom want to have me obliviated?"

"I don't know. Malfoy said that he said he didn't need you anymore that you weren't of any use. I just, I don't know."

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying, now please let me leave." Adrianna nodded at him and he sighed in relief.

Adrianna said nothing to him as she watched him walk past her. She couldn't believe it, Tom, Tom had done this to her and now she would make him pay.

XXX

Dumbledore watched as Hermione left the class with Tom close behind her. Tom turned around to look at Dumbledore and scowled when he saw the man staring at him, Dumbledore simply smiled at him and watched him leave. Dumbledore heard scratching on the window and he was surprised to find a snow owl looking back at him with a letter tied to his leg, who could that be? He walked over to the window and opened it, he untied the letter from the owl's leg before scratching the owl on its head and watching it fly off. Dumbledore read the letter and frowned; he picked up the papers from his desk and began heading to his office, apparently, he had a meeting with a ghost.

XXX

Tom started intently at Adrianna and she glared back at him.

"Lies." He hissed at her.

"They're not lies, I know when someone is telling the truth."

"Adrianna, I had nothing to do with you dying."

"Yes you did, I know you did Tom."

"Bullshit, who told you all of this anyway?"

"Tyson Sivian."

"You're believing the man that killed you, wow, how smart of you Adrianna."

"Don't mock me, Tom."

"I'm not mocking you, I'm just questioning your sanity."

"Stop."

"Look, Arianna, if I wanted to kill you I would have done it myself."

"But that's just it Tom, you didn't want to kill me, you wanted to obliviate me, why?

"I will not answer any more of your questions Adrianna, I've had enough. " He got up from the chair and headed towards the door.

"I'm going to tell."

Tom turned around sharply, "You wouldn't dare."

"I do and I will, you can't stop me."

Tom's eyes flashed red and for a second Adrianna was scared. Tom raised his wand and smiled at her, a horrifying smile.

"You're not going to tell anyone Adrianna unless you want something worse than this," he nodded at her referencing her ghostly self, "you being dead doesn't stop me from doing things to you Adrianna, I can destroy you and I will destroy you if you open your mouth to anyone." He took a step closer to her.

"Tom-"

"Don't even try to negotiate with me Adrianna, my terms are clear, if you speak of your death to anyone ever again, I will destroy you and this time, you won't come back. Am I clear?"

Adrianna nodded at him and he turned around and left.

 _And now to take care of Sivian_.

XXX

The cold blue eyes of Tyson Sivian looked up at Tom, pleadingly. "Please don't."

"It's too late for that Sivian."

Tom pointed his wand to Sivian's chest and he whimpered, "Avada Kedavra."

There was a green flash, a soft thud and there on the ground lay Sivian's dead body.

"Confringo." Tom turned around and walked out of the room of requirement leaving the body to burn, the room would take care of the rest.

XXX

"Professor, may I come in?" Dumbledore looked up from his desk when he heard the voice.

"You may." He replied, the door opened and in came a ghost, Dumbledore smiled when he saw the face.

"Why hello Miss Dorthien."

XXXXX

A/N: Well what do you think?


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP**

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: HAUNTED

Tom looked at Dumbledore and scowled. "Professor, I have no idea where you came up with such accusations but it isn't true."

"Mister Riddle, I'm not accusing you of anything, I am simply asking you if you had anything to do with the disappearance of Adrianna Dorthien."

Tom sighed and leaned back into the chair, "Professor, I had nothing to do with it, I barely ever even talked to the girl."

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head. "Very well Mister Riddle, you may leave now."

Tom nodded at him and got up from his chair, giving Dumbledore one last glance before leaving.

"What do we do now?" Came a soft voice from behind Dumbledore.

"We give him time Miss Dorthien if he doesn't come clean before the end of the week, we report him."

"We ought to do that now, he killed me for Merlin's sake."

"I understand your feelings Miss Dorthien but I'm afraid we must wait."

"Fine."

XXX

Tom sent hex after hex at the tree, sweat was dripping down his face, his robes were torn and dirty and his hair a mess but of course he didn't care. She'd lied to him, the ghost had lied to him and now he was over and all because he'd let a ghost live, _a fucking ghost, a fucking ghost_! His eyes were a blazing red and his face was a picture of pure rage. He threw his wand aside and fell to his knees and he screamed, he screamed until he could scream no more, until it fucking hurt so much he couldn't breathe, until his eyes blurred and he seemed to lose contact with his senses, _good_ , he thought to himself, _I don't want to live anymore_.

XXX

Hermione picked a book from the shelf and dropped it when she saw Adrianna's face grinning at her from the gap it left on the shelf.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione snapped.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know that spending time in a library was a bad thing."

"I-it's not, I'm just surprised that's all." Seeing the ghost of the girl would never cease to shock her.

"You must be but you'll be even more surprised when I tell you your boyfriend's little secret," Adrianna smirked at her.

Hermione raised an eyebrow inquisitively, "What are you talking about Adrianna?"

"Surely you know who I'm talking about?"

Hermione stood motionless, the ghost sighed and frowned.

"You're really no fun, Bellouve, I'm talking about Tom Riddle your little lover boy."

"What about him?" Hermione turned away from the ghost and sat down at a table.

Adrianna's smirk grew, she floated over to Hermione and leaned over her shoulder, Hermione shivered at being so close to her.

"He's the one that killed me."

Hermione turned around slowly and shook her head with a smile. "Liar, you told me yourself that Sivian and Avery did it, why are you all of a sudden changing your mind now?"

"Well, I thought that they were the ones that killed me until I learned the truth."

"Oh, so what is the truth, Adrianna?"

"Tom made them do it."

Hermione didn't say a word, she simply picked up her satchel and stormed out of the library. Adrianna chuckled as she watched her leave.

XXX

Tom blankly stared at Hermione as she pointed her wand at his neck, fire in her eyes.

"Answer, me Tom, did you or did you not tell Avery and Sivian to kill Adrianna.'

Tom said nothing and continued staring at her blankly.

"Answer me!" Hermione had tears in her eyes.

Tom nodded slowly at her before turning away from her and sitting in the armchair beside him.

Hermione still had her wand pointed at him, her confidence not wavering.

"Put that wand down Hermione, we both know that you're not going to hurt anyone."

"Just answer me, did you or did you not tell Avery and Sivian to kill Adrianna?"

Tom raised an eyebrow at her and gave her a soft oblivious smile.

"Merlin, you did, didn't you and, and I believed you when you told me you didn't have anything to do with it, I-I trusted you."

She put her wand down and pushed her hair out of her face with an exasperated sigh.

"Why, why would you do that? She didn't do any-"

"It doesn't matter why Hermione!" Tom finally burst jumping out of his chair.

"It doesn't fucking matter why I did anything, what matter is she told Dumbledore! He knows, he bloody knows and now there's nothing I can do! All because I trusted a moron and a ghost Hermione, a moron and a fucking ghost!"

"What do you mean Dumbledore knows? She can't have possibly told him." Hermione chuckled out of fear and disbelief, for some reason she was scared that he might get caught.

"That's what I thought but she did."

"How can you be sure?"

"She told me she would and then a day later the old fool questioned me about her death again but this time something was different, this time I could tell he knew just by the look in his eyes. I'm done for."

"You're not," Hermione said firmly.

Tom chuckled, "I don't see how not unless you have some huge miracle plan inside that brain of yours."

Hermione smirked at him and then smiled. "Actually, I do."

XXXXX

A/N: Well this is just a filler to make up for the past three weeks.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP IN ANYWAY ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO JK ROWLING APART FROM THE ONES THAT YOU DO NOT RECOGNISE FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES.**

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: A PLAN?

Hermione stared at the ghost standing in front of her and smiled.

"Your plan was perfect, honestly."

Adrianna smiled and then chuckled, "I know."

XXX

Dumbledore took a glance at the man before him before turning to look at Fawkes, petting the phoenix lightly on the head.

"Where's the boy?" asked the man, his voice was dry and harsh. He was beginning to get annoyed at the old man sitting opposite him.

"At this point in time, I really do not know."

XXX

Tom sat in the room of requirement tapping his fingers lightly on the coffee table next to him and patiently staring into the flames.

"What now?" Asked Abraxas from behind him.

"We wait."

XXX

"Why'd you do it?" Hermione asked swinging her legs casually onto the table.

"He hurt me and so I hurt him, that's how this world works."

XXX

The man scowled at Dumbledore, "What do mean you don't bloody know?!"

Dumbledore chuckled and leaned back in his chair, "I mean, young man, that I do not know."

XXX

Abraxas sighed and sat down lightly on the chair next to Tom.

"Are you sure you can trust her?"

Tom sighed and turned to face Abraxas with a small smirk, "If I didn't trust her, I would have let you wring her neck a long time ago."

XXX

Hermione smiled and nodded in understanding, "So, if I hurt you, you'd simply hurt me back?"

"Why of course I would." Adrianna floated down into the chair next to Hermione.

XXX

Dumbledore looked at the man opposite him and chuckled, he was furious.

"Where's the girl then? You at least have to know where the girl is, Merlin help me if you don't."

"I'm afraid I don't know where she is either."

XXX

"You know nothing about her. How can you trust her?"

Tom nodded slowly and twisted his wand in between his fingers, "You know almost nothing of me Abraxas, do you trust me?"

XXX

"What if you couldn't hurt me back?" Hermione got off her chair and walked over to a bookshelf, lightly tracing her fingers over the old dusty volumes.

"What do you mean?"

XXX

The man huffed and slammed his fists onto Dumbledore's desk. "Then this is a huge waste of our fucking time!"

"I assure you, it is not."

The man glared at Dumbledore and hissed, his face had gone red and the vein at his temple was pulsing but Dumbledore merrily smiled, he found it quite amusing.

XXX

Abraxas blinked, slightly startled by the question and nodded. "Of course."

"Then I need not explain myself."

XXX

"Things can happen to people sometimes, even dead people." Hermione picked a book from the shelf and turned around to smile sweetly at Adrianna.

"Are you threatening me?"

XXX

The man exhaled deeply and ran a hand through his hair, "Please do explain how it is not."

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head slowly, "You will understand when you meet him."

XXX

Abraxas nodded and crossed his legs. She was a mudblood, Tom was trusting a mudblood, something was sure to go wrong.

Tom gave Abraxas a final look before turning around to face the fire again, the plan was going to work, it had to.

XXX

"Of course not," she walked back over to the table but didn't sit down, "I'm just stating a fact."

"That would never happen." Adrianna frowned.

XXX

"How do we know that he is the one, that the girl wasn't lying?"

"Because," Dumbledore leaned forward and peered at the man through his spectacles, "I, unlike you, know this boy. He is smart and cunning and can easily fool people into thinking he is innocent of everything but I, I can see through his act and I know for a fact that he isn't as innocent as he says he is."

XXX

Tom looked at the clock on the wall and then turned to nod at Abraxas, "It's time, go."

Abraxas nodded hesitantly and got up and headed towards the door, "Abraxas," he stopped and turned around to look at Tom who was still focused on the fire, "if it turns out that you are right about her, kill her." his tone was soft and hesitant, almost as if he was silently wishing that it wasn't true, that by saying this he might be making the possibility a reality.

Abraxas nodded, slightly alarmed but otherwise content with this statement and walked out of the room.

XXX

"It can." Hermione nodded at Abraxas who was standing behind the bookshelf Adrianna was closest to.

Abraxas watched as Hermione slowly pulled out her wand from its holster in her robe and twisted gently in her hand.

"You sly bi-" Abraxas sent a hex at the wall and Adrianna turned around sharply to face him, Hermione wasted no time, she removed a mirror that she was hiding up her robe sleeve then pointed her wand at the ghost and whispered the incantation.

Adrianna froze and stared in shock as she felt herself being dragged into the cold, icy interior of the mirror, she looked up at the two from her glass prison and screamed but no sound came out. She banged on the glass with her fists but nothing happened.

Hermione picked up the mirror and handed it to Abraxas who smirked at the ghost now entrapped inside of it. The job was done.

XXX

Dumbledore looked at the clock and sighed, "I suppose you could go look for him since they haven't shown up as I thought they would."

The man gave a sigh of relief and smiled, "Where?"

om looked at the clock and got up slowly from his chair, _they should be back any time soon_. He walked out of the Slytherin common room, taking one more glance at the green flames that he had been so intent on and let the wall slide closed behind him. Something was wrong, He stood still, his back facing the wall and stood petrified by the taunting feeling of failure begin to wrap its icy hands around his neck. He heard footsteps and he watched as a man in a black, filthy robe began to descend the stairs. The man stopped at the landing and grinned brutally at Tom, his face was harsh and scarred and filled with nothing but a glowing hatred.

"Are you Tom Riddle?" asked the man, pointing a grizzly gloved finger at Tom. His voice was as rough as sandpaper and his accent heavy.

"I am and who might you be?" Tom answered in a casual smooth tone.

The man chuckled, no _cackled_ before grinning again, an even wider one this time. "Oh, you don't need to know that, lad, not where you're headin'." The man slid his wand out of his sleeve and pointed it casually at Tom before stupefying him.

XXXX

A/N: That's it for today xD.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP, BUT LIKE, I WISH I DID.**

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: TORMENT

Abraxas gave a sigh and threw the newspaper into the fireplace, turning away as it burned to ashes. Two weeks, two fucking weeks and still nothing, Tom had suddenly disappeared and still, no one knew what happened to him. Personally, he blamed the mudblood, how could he not? She was the reason why he wasn't with Tom when he vanished, she was the one to set the time and place, everything was her bloody idea! He hadn't seen much of her ever since that night, and he rarely ever had enough time to confront her but one of these days he would and he would make sure that he knew what she'd done.

XXX

Hermione checked her wristwatch obliviously, it had become a habit, and now she just did it regardless of whether she wanted to know the time or not. Two weeks had gone by since Tom's disappearance and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what had gone wrong. She suspected _no_ she _knew_ that Dumbledore had something to do with it, he had an odd twinkle in his eyes when she asked about him and his reply was always the same: "He's gone off to someplace more suitable for him, and he shan't be coming back soon." whenever he said this, Hermione became more and more conscious of how much Dumbledore could lie. Hermione didn't know why she cared so much, with Tom gone and most likely in Azkaban, her mission was complete, no more Dark Lord. So why did she care, why did she feel like something was missing?

The summer break was in three weeks and Hermione had absolutely no idea where she would go, the leaky cauldron was her only choice, not that she minded. She did have some money considering that when she first got here Dumbledore had convinced Dippet to open a Gringotts account for her and give her a little money to start off with, which, Hermione had to admit, was quite generous of him.

Emptiness was beginning to consume her, without _him_ here she felt as if she had no purpose, nothing to keep her going, and that she couldn't take. She needed to get him out, she shook her head at the thought, it was ridiculous, wasn't it?

XXX

Abraxas picked up the mirror, he started at it, cold icy eyes started back at him. He was supposed to get rid of it after they'd trapped Adrianna inside but for some reason, he couldn't. He stared at the ghost within it, she didn't move around as much as she used to when she'd first got trapped in it, she just stayed in one place hovering and glaring at the outside world. He placed it down with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. He needed to move around, to think about something else other than the web of death eaters and mudbloods he had woven himself into.

Abraxas walked out onto the quidditch field, he didn't have his broom with him, he didn't intend to fly. Alexander got up from where he sat and walked over to him, "I'm here, what is it?" He said, his tone was icy, it was clear that he was annoyed.

"Look, I don't feel like bullshitting around the subject, I need your help." Abraxas replied, his tone the same as the other boy's.

"What with?"

"Finding Riddle."

Alexander scoffed, "That crazy fucker is finally out of our lives and you want me to help you bring him back, you're nuts." He began to walk away but Abraxas grabbed his arm, "You swore an oath."

"Fuck the bloody oath, look, you know he killed Sivian right? I know I can't prove it but, I know it, I know he's dead and I know who damned did it."

"And if- when he comes back, he'll kill you too, that is if you don't help me."

Alexander sighed, "Look, you can forget it man, I'm out."

"Fine." Abraxas sneered and let go of the boy, well, he tried.

Abraxas walked through the forbidden forest, his mind finally blank, staying outside for a while had finally let him clear his thoughts. He stopped at a dying willow tree when all of a sudden he heard a crunch, instinct had him pull his wand out and he found himself pointing it at none other than Hermione fucking Bellouve. He grabbed her and pinned her to the tree by her throat. She stared at him in shock.

"Hello Bellouve." He snarled at her.

Her eyes flickered in anger when she realised what was happening, "Let me go," she snarled back at him.

"Not until you tell me whatever the fuck it is that you did to Tom Riddle."

She shook her head, "I didn't do anything to him now let me go."

He wrapped his hand around her throat a little tighter, "I will ask you again, what did you do to him?"

She gasped for air and her eyes began to fill with tears, "Nothing, I did nothing to him."

Maybe he'd gone crazy, but he believed her, he let her go. He began walking away, leaving her gasping for air behind him. She ran up to him, stepping in front of him to stop him.

"Look, I don't know what happened to Tom, but wherever he is I want to help find him."

He gave a cold chuckle, "Why in Merlin's name would you want to do that?"

"I-, I don't know. I just do."

"Fine," he sighed looking down at her, "but try anything, anything at all mudblood and I swear on Merlin's grave that I'll use you as The Sardonis sacrifice." With that he walked off, leaving her slightly petrified at the mention of the old forgotten ritual.

Abraxas didn't know exactly what he was thinking when he agreed to accepting her help, he supposed it was his desperation and mild frustration of knowing he wouldn't be able to find Tom by himself, he somewhat regretted his actions, but knew he had to get over himself. Tom, wherever he was, needed their help.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: I won't guarantee any new chapters but I really hope that I'll be able to continue writing, please do forgive me for this shitty excuse of a chapter.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO JK ROWLING APART FROM THOSE WHICH YOU DO NOT RECOGNISE FROM THE SERIES.**

CHAPTER NINETEEN: SEARCH

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the old man that sat in front of her, "What do you mean you don't know?"

Dippet sighed, "Miss Bellouve, I have no idea how else to put it, I have no idea when Mister Riddle shall return just as I told you yesterday, and the day before, as well as the day before that-"

"I get it, I've asked you an alarming amount of times, but you see it makes absolutely no sense."

"I understand your frustration, but as you know, Dumbledore set up the whole thing you'll simply have to ask him."

"Fine." She sighed and got up from the chair while mentally crossing out Dippet to be useless, he would be of no help in finding Tom.

XXX

Abraxas started at the girl opposite him, why was he doing this again? She looked up at him running a hand through her hair.

"Dumbledore's the only clue we have here, what do you think he had to do with it."

Abraxas shrugged, "Dunno, he always hated Tom though," he yawned and Hermione glared at him.

"Can you at least try to be helpful?"

"I am trying, just don't know how talking about Dumbledore is going to help us find Tom."

"We're not just talking about Dumbledore, he has something to do with Tom's disappearance."

"And you would know that because?" He had a hint of accusation in his tone.

"Adrianna told Dumbledore about her death, what's more, she lied about it. Dumbledore finally had enough to send him away for good. He's out of the way now, don't you see it?"

"You're suggesting Azkaban aren't you?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure but I think so."

"If that's the case, how the fuck are we supposed to get him out then?"

"Prove his innocence, we need to find out who took him then things can go from there."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged, "I know it isn't much but it's something, stop being such an ass hat."

He raised his hands in mock surrender, "Fine, I'll play." Abraxas sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"What do you think Tom might've been doing while we were in the library?"

"Staring at flames." Hermione chuckled at that, he raised an eyebrow again.

"Sorry," she cleared her throat, "he had to come out at some point, though, or else nobody would've been able to take him."

Abraxas nodded.

"Someone might have seen them, one of the ghosts maybe."

"Great, now we have a bunch of ghosts to ask if they saw a boy getting snatched after curfew."

"Goddammit, will you stop being so pessimistic?"

"You mean realistic, mudblood, the word is realistic." Hermione sighed in exasperation, and got up from the table hastily packing her stuff to leave.

"Talk to me when you're ready to be serious." She left with that.

XXX

Hermione glared at Peeves as he erupted in laughter. His high-pitched voice filled the halls, and he couldn't stop flipping in mid-air. When he calmed down he floated over to her and penetrated her brown orbs with his gray ones.

"I saw nothin'." He whispered and began to giggle.

"Where were you then?" Hermione scowled at the poltergeist, her efforts were proving to be fruitless she'd been at it for an hour now, and Peeves was not budging.

"Around," he muttered and gestured to his surroundings. She groaned in frustration, and shook her head.

"Look, I'll ask you one last time," she breathed out in exhaustion, "did you, or did you not see Tom Riddle get taken away by someone two weeks ago on a Saturday?"

"Hmm, did I, did I, did I?" He was upside down now, smiling radically.

"Please, just help me out here, Peeves?"

"Why should I?"

"I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

"Anything," he smiled and opened his mouth, "but only if you answer my questions first."

His face fell but he nodded. "Fine."

"Did you see Tom Riddle being taken away?" Peeves put his finger to his chin, still upside down, and nodded.

"Yes, yes. Now my turn."

"I'm not done yet, do you know who it was?"

He tapped his chin again, "Maybe..." He trailed off.

"Yes or no Peeves, answer me."

"Yes, my turn."

"No, I'm still not done. Give me a name, who was the person?"

"Tobias Rowle, no more questions. My. Turn."

"Fine, what do you want?"

"Adrianna."

XXXXX

A/N: Review if you liked it, I'm sorry I didn't update earlier.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP, DUDE, I BARELY OWN ANYTHING I OWN.**

CHAPTER TWENTY: PARTNER

"Adrianna."

"What?"

The poltergeist giggled, "Oh you know, that girl you put in a mirror, about yay high, dead."

"How'd you-"

"Doesn't matter, all you need to know is that it's what I want, so give her to me."

"I-I don't have her," Hermione was trying to think of the perfect lie, but she was too dumbstruck to think clearly.

"Who does?"

No one, we, uh, we got rid of her."

"Did you now?"

"Yes."

"We'll see about that." With that, he disappeared into thin air.

XXX

"Peeves knows." Hermione stormed into the library and slammed her books onto the table, resulting in her getting harsh looks from the students at other tables.

"What?" Abraxas asked, lazily raising an eyebrow.

"Peeves bloody knows." Abraxas waved a hand dramatically.

"He's a bloody poltergeist Bellouve, who the fuck cares about what he knows?"

"Are you joking?"

"Am I supposed to be?"

"Dumbledore, if Peeves knows, Dumbledore knows."

"Of course Dumbledore knows, the fool's got his nose in everything. All the beings around here are his spies, what'd you expect?" He rolled his eyes and flung his head back rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Look, we're leaving in two weeks, as soon as exams are over, I'm gone and with all this shit going on with Grindelwald and that muggle war, I'll be surprised if anyone could actually give a flying rat's arse about one student in Hogwarts that may or may not have been illegally taken to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit-"

"But that's just it! He was taken to Azkaban, well I'm not sure if it's Azkaban, but he was taken and I know by who, Peeves-"

"Listen, we're not going to find anything, might as well just wait until we come back from the break."

"Fine, you can wait. I'll find him by myself then."

"Goddamn you are relentless, Okay hit me with it, what's your big plan now?"

"Peeves said Tom was taken by a man named Tobias Rowle," Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"Your point?"

"Rowle, that name was extinguished three decades ago after Egrid Rowle, the only heir of Darius Rowle died. The only complication here is that Egrid Rowle was said to have a brother, Tobias Rowle, that died three days after his fifth birthday due to pneumonia. But suspiciously so, in the left wing of the Rowle Family Manor, a child lived abandoned and alone. This child is rumoured to be the "dead" brother of Egrid Rowle and the last remaining heir of the Rowle Family line."

"Are you going to go on like this because if you are, I will leave." Abraxas sneered.

"Listen, the only reason a man could ever banish his male heir would be out of shame right. Turns out Tobias Rowle had proven to be very skilled at dark arts and by three was said to have killed five of his household servants. The family had banished him out of fear of his power, and had rightly done so, too, in my opinion."

"Get to the point Bellouve, I'm losing interest."

"In order to grow up and not be recognised as a member of the Rowle family, he had to be given another name. And you will not believe who he is," she sighed in excitement, "Dimitri Darnaeus."

""No shit!" Abraxas sat up, attentive for the first time ever, "Wasn't he the guy who filed a law case against the ministry claiming that he was some kind of descendant of Ekrizdis and that by right he should inherit Azkaban?"

"Yes, yes he was."

"He wouldn't give in, so the ministry resulted in giving him a position as a head guard at Azkaban seeing as he somehow remained unaffected by dementors. He took Tom?"

"Yes. The only problem is that we don't have a way to track him down."

"I might have a way," Abraxas smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"Your research is pretty good, but you missed one thing: Darnaeus has a son. And I, Bellouve, know how to get to him."

XXX

Nott looked over at Avery and the boy scowled at him. "Why am I here?" Avery sneered.

"We need to talk about Riddle."

"Why, why do we need to talk about Riddle?" Avery ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the ceiling, giving a small sigh, he hadn't slept in days.

"Malfoy is trying to find him."

"He won't, now what's your point?"

"I think we should help."

Avery shot up from his chair causing it to topple over, "WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU WANT TO HELP?!"

Nott got up from his chair."Listen-"

"NO, I AM NOT GOING TO LISTEN, GIVE ME A GODDAMN REASON!"

"BECAUSE HE'LL KILL US IF WE DON'T! He'll kill us if he finds him and he comes back here."

"We'll just have to make sure he doesn't."

"How are we supposed to do that?"

"We kill him."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Leave a review if you liked it.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HP AT ALL.**

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: DEAD MAN WALKING

Rose Macmillan glanced at Abraxas anxiously.

"Where are you going?" She asked, unable to keep the question to herself.

Abraxas sighed, exasperated, and turned to face her. "Would you give it a rest? It's none of your God damn business anyway, let it go." He snapped at her. He got up from the ground, dusted himself off and began to walk away. Rose followed him, relentless.

"It is too my business, you are my boyfriend-"

"Boyfriend, when did that happen?" He stopped walking and turned around to raise an eyebrow at her.

"You..."

"I, nothing Rose, we are not together. I am not yours nor are you mine, what we have is called a suitable arrangement, not a relationship. Now that we have that straight, leave me the fuck alone and go find someone else to nag."

Rose blinked at him hurt by his remark; Abraxas sighed and began walking away, hr had greater things to worry about.

XXX

Maximus Black shook his head at the girl opposite him positive that she'd gone mad.

"I'm not helping you," he quickly said, hoping to get out of the situation as soon as possible.

"Oh come on," Rose sighed. "Stop being such a wuss."

"I'm not being a wuss, Rose, I just tend to stay out of pathetically childish matters."  
"Childish? This isn't childish it's-"  
"Rose, you want me to help you make Abraxas Malfoy jealous. You're right it's not childish, it's downright idiotic and insane." Maximus chuckled softly, "Either way I'm not helping you." He shrugged blandly and walked away.

XXX

Abraxas turned to face Hermione, and she raised an eyebrow expectantly at him.

"So…" she began but trailed off in annoyance.

"Yes," he stated simply. "I don't have a direct way to contact Darnaeus' son, but-"  
"There is no "but" Malfoy! How the hell are we supposed to get to him?" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

"Maybe if you would just listen to me, perhaps I'd be able to tell you. God, you're infuriating."  
"Well forgive me," she muttered, pushing her wild hair out of her eyes in annoyance.

"Whatever, just sit down and I'll explain."

Hermione sat down begrudgingly and crossed her arms.

"Proceed."  
Abraxas scowled softly at Hermione before speaking. "The only reason I know Alexander-"  
"Alexander?"

"Darnaeus' son. Now will you stop interrupting and let me speak?"

Hermione raised her hands in mock surrender, "I'm sorry."

"Good," Abraxas cleared his throat. "The only reason I know Alexander is because of Maximus Black. I know Darnaeus himself, by my parents of course, and I knew he had a son but I'd never met him before, that is until last summer. I met him during my stay at the Black's house, I was spending the month with them as was Alex. I soon came to realize that the boy was an absolute gullible dolt. He'll tell us anything we want to know, really, all we need is Maximus to help us contact him."

"That's good, but do you think he'll agree?"

"Probably, that is if the others haven't gotten to him yet."  
"What, why?"

Abraxas sighed and rubbed his face with the back of his hand, "Ah, before you and I became..partners?

I, uh, I asked Avery if he would help me find him , he said no of course, why would he? Anyway, I'm pretty sure he's been going around shit staining Tom, giving others pretty good reasons as to why we shouldn't find him. I tried telling him they'll be fucked _when_ he comes back, but he's so far deep in denial he's probably gonna drown." He chuckled dryly.

Hermione gave a soft chuckle and shook her head, "Then I guess we had better go get him before they do."

Abraxas laughed. "Yeah I suppose so." Abraxas paused as Hermione began to get up from the table. "I-I think it'd be better if I asked hi, though. I know you're, uh, capable and all, but-"  
"I understand," she nodded and gave him a small smile. He nodded back and returned the smile, he smiled at her. No, it wasn't possible, was it? She shook the thoughts out of her head, _we'll think about that later_.

"What're you waiting for? Go."  
"Gotcha," he quickly packed his things and left the library, leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts.

XXX

Water, water, water. The air was thick, moist and reeked of death. The cell was tight and dark, too dark. Oh, God. He needed water.

XXX

Peeves had resulted to following Hermione through the halls. He'd push her, tease her, pester her with irrelevancies that were truly of no sense. Hermione hated it, but what could she do? She'd promised him something and didn't deliver, she didn't expect any less. She had resulted to ignoring him, but of course that never really worked. On this occasion he was imitating a banshee, and doing quite well at that. He wailed relentlessly as she walked through the halls, constantly screaming over her pleas for him to stop.

"Peeves, please, I would give it to you-" she began.  
"Why don't you?!" He exclaimed in her face.  
""I don't have-"  
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"  
"I don't have her!"  
"And I don't believe you. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHH!  
Students glared at her, some sniggering as she walked past.  
"It's with Abraxas! Abraxas has her!"  
"Good, now go get her!"  
"It's not that simpl-"  
"AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH WWWWOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"  
"OK, OK, just please, please shut up!"  
"Good," the poltergeist smirked before floating away. Hermione sighed and slumped against the wall. She wished, oddly enough, that Abraxas had not listened to her and had kept the ghost or else Merlin help her, she would go crazy. 

XXX

Avery smirked as Abraxas walked past him. "Dead man walking," he almost said but held his tongue. "Soon," he whispered to himself, "soon."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX  
A/N: God, I miss writing like this. But like before, I can't promise anything new anytime soon I'm very busy but I'll try my best to get something out in the next two weeks or so.


	22. Chapter Twenty-Two

**DISCLAIMER: HP DOES NOT BELONG TO ME, PPPFFFTT YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT.**

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:TORN

Maximus raised an eyebrow at Abraxas. "You what?"

Abraxas sighed. "Listen, I can't get into the details right n-"  
"No, no you will be getting into the detail because I want to know why you would do such a thing."

"Look, I'm trying to find Ridd-"  
"I fully understand that part, it's the rest that I don't. Why do you need that dolt Darnaeus?"  
"I don't have the time."  
"You do. Now expl-"  
Abraxas placed a hand over his mouth, "Listen, I can't talk here because _they_ ," he nodded towards Avery, Goyle and Nott leaning against a tree not too far away, "might be listening, so, if you want to know you'll come with me." Abraxas dropped his hand and Maximus nodded.

"Okay."

Abraxas nodded and began walking away, gesturing at Maximus to follow him. The two walked back to the Slytherin dorms in silence.

Hermione looked up as Abraxas and Maximus walked in. Abraxas mumbled a small "hey" at her and Maximus nodded in greeting. Hermione nodded back before turning to Abraxas and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Don't look at me like that, he asked to come," said Abraxas, sitting down in an armchair opposite Hermione, Maximus did the same.

"Why?" She asked, turning to Maximus. "Sorry, I just don't understand why you'd want to know."

Maximus nodded in understanding. "Yeah no problem, and no offence but what exactly do _you_ have to do with any of this?" Maximus' eyes switched from Hermione to Abraxas.

"She came up with the bloody idea, that's what," Abraxas snapped impatiently.

"Okay, now my main problem, what the hell is this plan and why, in Merlin's name, do you need Darnaeus?"

"The plan is to find Tom and Darnaeus is the key to all this, so will you give us the damned address or no-"

Hermione cleared her throat loudly, cutting him off. "I believe it'd be best of we explained thoroughly and from the start, Abraxas."

Maximus nodded, "It truly would be." Abraxas shrugged, running a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair, "Whatever, you explain."

Hermione nodded and began. She explained their mission to find Tom Riddle, the obstacles they were facing and why. It was thorough but messy and agonisingly long, but Maximus listened intently. He mused over whether it would be a good idea to help them, although he wanted to, was it worth having the others nip at his back for the rest of his life?

"...and that's why we need Darnaeus, that's why we need _you_ to help us get to him," Hermione finished, leaning back in her chair and sighing softly.

Maximus sighed and rubbed his face, before looking up at her and raising an eyebrow. "So, you're fine with all of this? You're fine with bringing Riddle back although you know what he's done, what he's capable of doing?"

Hermione swung her head back and let out a wry chuckle before looking at Maximus once again, "Yes, Merlin something must be wrong with me but yes. He doesn't deserve it."

Maximus blinked at her, she was a mudblood. Practical dirt. Filth through the eyes of anyone else, yet she managed to grab the attention of two of the people that hated her kind the most. It was odd indeed, but that's besides the point. Helping her- but then again it really wasn't for her, was it? They were bringing back Tom, Tom Marvolo Riddle, potential anarchy but equal greatness. A boy who'd somehow managed to charm his way into everything without showing anyone his dark side until it was too late to break away from his grasp. A boy who'd managed to take crude beliefs that had forcefully been passed on in the pureblood society and turn them into dreams of sunshine and flowers, hiding away the disease under the dirt from those who weren't his own. Brilliance in an inferno, he was conflicted for a moment, but a second thought was all it took to make his mind up.

"So?" Hermione looked at him almost pleadingly.

"I'm in."

XXX

Rose started as Abraxas wrote profusely on a foot long piece of parchment. The scratching of the quill echoing through the empty library annoyed her, she exhaled exasperatedly.

"What're yo-" she began, but was cut off.

Abraxas held up his index finger without looking up at her. "Shh, I'm almost done," he whispered.

She sighed, huffing lightly, and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes roamed over the library shelves, she wondered what exactly she was doing there with a boy that refused to pay her any attention whatsoever. Part of her screamed at her to get up and leave but an even larger part forced her to stay seated and wait for him. And so she sat, listening to the scratching of his damned quill against the parchment. She swung her legs back and forth beneath the table and turned to look out of the dusty window two tables away from them.

Abraxas finally put his quill down, rolled up the parchment and placed it securely in his bag before finally looking up at her.

"You were saying?" He asked.

Rose smiled at him, "What were you writing?"

"A letter," he shrugged.

She raised an eyebrow at him, tapping her fingers gently on the table. "To whom?"

"No one you know," he sighed. "Could you skip the questions, Rose, what do you want?"

"Oh I, I want to know why you've been ignoring me!"

Abraxas frowned at her small outburst, he didn't understand her emotions.

"Ignoring you, when have I-"

"You haven't talked to me for a week, Abraxas."

"Well forgive me, I've been busy. I honestly don't think our- well, whatever this is- was relevant enough to set aside my affairs for."

She was hurt, Abraxas understood that much, what he didn't understand was why. Had she grown attached to him, was that what this was?

"Okay," she said slowly as if testing the word. "Who have you been spending your supposed "busy" time with?"

Abraxas sighed in annoyance, this was never going to end, was it? "Listen, that, just like why I've been busy, is none of your business. Now please for sanity's sake, just go if all you're going to do is question me."

"I-" Rose shook her head and got up, "I don't even know why I'm so bothered, you're a complete arse anyway."

Abraxas nodded, "Good to know."

Rose huffed and walked away.

Rose blinked back the tears that were in her eyes as she walked out of the library, he wasn't worth her tears. She hated the fact that she was crying over him, _him_! She turned a corner wiping her eyes, she was walking fast and wasn't looking where she was going. She soon bumped into someone and fell onto the ground, she looked up at the person she'd bumped into, but she couldn't see clearly. They held out a hand to her, and she took it, pulling herself up, and found herself staring into the brown orbs of Alexander Avery.

"Hello Rose," he said softly with a smile.

XXXX

A/N: See you in another two weeks!


	23. Chapter Twenty-Three

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT HAVE AN- SERIOUSLY, WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER? YOU KNOW I DON'T.**

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: TALES

The night was silent, owls hooted to one another, flowers danced swiftly to the music of the night wind, and a figure cloaked in black stalked through the deathly silence of the trees within a forest. He had a mission, a one that would take time to complete, but a mission that he'd complete nonetheless.

XXX

Abraxas handed Maximus a rolled up piece of parchment. "There, that's the letter now send it to him," he uttered, who stood at a nearby tree, walked over to the duo and snatched the letter from Abraxas' hands. "Let me read it first," she said while unrolling the letter.

Abraxas held his breath as Hermione's eyes roamed furiously over the parchment, she was smart, but she could be real bitch about things if she didn't like them. He'd have to rewrite it if she didn't think it was good enough, what was worse was that he'd have to write it with _her_.

Hermione nodded and handed back the letter when she was done, Abraxas let out a sigh of relief when she smiled.

"It's good," she said with another nod. "Inviting him over was the first step, we need to plan out how to ask him questions and also carefully analyse the questions themselves."

Abraxas groaned and Maximus raised an eyebrow. "You're fucking kidding me right? More work?!" Abraxas exclaimed and threw his hands up in exasperation.

Hermione nodded, "Yes, more work."

"Why does that even matter?" Maximus asked, his eyebrow still arched.

"Because, if you're not careful he'll get suspicious and tell his father."

"He's an idiot, Hermione, he wouldn't get suspicious of a crook if he walked up to him with a big "I'm going to con you" sign."  
Hermione raised an eyebrow, not because he'd insulted Darnaeus, but because he'd called her Hermione. It sounded odd coming from him, why'd he call her that? She shook the question out of her head and brought herself back to the situation at hand.

"That's besides the point, if we aren't careful this'll all go to shit."  
"Fine," the two muttered simultaneously.

"Good. To the library."

XXX

Damien Nott was slightly disturbed by the smirk on Alexander Avery's face as he spoke of how he was going to kill Abraxas. He hadn't intended for it to go this far, he believed that after a few meetings Avery would give up on the thought and move on, he was wrong. The boy had somehow managed to gain the support of the others, all in fear, of course. The other's were terrified of Avery, the boy had a mean side, perhaps gained by years of slaving under Tom. Years longer than any of them had. Avery might not have noticed, but he was only a few fractions better than Tom, anger and hatred boiled under his skin and every once in a while you could see it creep up onto his face, clouding it and hiding away his humanity.

"...and then we'll slit his throat, throw him into the forest and let him be eaten by whatever's out there. The end," Avery finished with a clap of his hands. "Any queries?" It was rhetorical, of course.

Everyone shook their heads, including Nott. Personally, he didn't agree with this, he was quite sure that no one agreed with it. He may not have been on the friendliest terms with Abraxas, but that didn't mean that he wanted the boy dead. He wanted to talk to Abraxas about it but then Avery would find out, and he'd be as dead as Abraxas would be in a few days. Nott was shaken out of his thoughts when Avery tapped him lightly on the shoulder, he looked up at the boy startled.

"Y-yes?" He stuttered, his hands turned cold under the table.

"Pay attention," Avery said lightly, clicking his tongue. "We're discussing the matter of whom the killer is going to be, and I thought that perhaps you, Nott, would like to do it."  
"M-me? I don't think so, I'm not capable of th-"  
"Sure you are, one slice of a knife and you're done, quick and easy. What's so difficult about that?"

"Nothing, I just- I don't think I can."  
"Are you scared, Nott?"  
"N-no I just don-"

"You sound scared, doesn't he sound scared?" Avery turned from Nott to look at the rest of the boys seated at the table. They stared back blankly at him. "I asked a question. Doesn't he look scared?"

They nodded, all out of fear of their own safety.

"You see, they all think you're scared. You don't want them to think you're a coward now, do you?"  
"I'm not a cowa-"  
"Then do it. Prove you're not a coward and get rid of Abraxas Malfoy, and perhaps you'll turn into a hero."  
"I can't."

Avery frowned and got up from the table with a sigh, he placed a hand on Nott's shoulder and nodded.

"I really thought you were stronger than this, but apparently you're not. It's alright though, we'll find someone else to be our hero, someone less cowardly." He dug his nails into Nott's shoulder making the boy wince and began heading towards the door of the room of requirement. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Nott could feel the dread start to ebb into him as he watched the door close behind Avery.

XXX

His hair was growing long now, he could tell because it fell in front of his face, blurring his vision. He no longer wondered about when he'd be let out, he just wished they'd give him some god-damned water.

XXX

The cloaked figure stood in front of a building, staring at it not really wanting to go inside, he already knew what he wanted to know, there was no reason to go inside. He contemplated this for a very long time before, finally, hesitantly opening the termite beaten front door and entering. He walked up a staircase so old that he wondered why it wasn't breaking against his weight. As he walked onto the landing he started down an eerie hallway and sighed to himself, _the pains of power's thirst_ , he proceeded to walk down the hallway and opened the first door to his left. Inside sat a man so worn you'd think he was dead, but alas he wasn't, the man sat up upon hearing the door creak open.

"Didn't think you'd be comin'," the worn man spoke.

The cloaked man let out a wry laugh. "Didn't want to, but you know me," he replied with a shrug.

"Ay, you bet yer scrawny arse I do." The worn man laughed, showing his broken yellow teeth.

The cloaked man sighed again, removing his hat and running a hand through his white hair. "Could you get out of that disguise, it's rather sickening."

The man laughed and waved his hand. "Alright, alright keep yer knickers on."

The colour faded from his skin and in dust began to swirl around him as he transformed back into who he was. He coughed and waved the dust away as his eyes turned from a sickly grey to a blue hue.

"Better?" The accent was gone.

"Much," the cloaked man nodded as he stared at the face of his old friend. "It's nice to see you again, Dimitri."

"Doubt it."

XXX

A/N: Leave review if you liked it. I really want to start uploading more frequently but you all know how that goes, so yeah.


	24. Chapter Twenty-Four

**DISCLAIMER: I GAVE UP ON WRITING DISCLAIMERS.**

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: CHAOS THEORY

"Have you sent it yet?" Hermione asked, turning to Maximus.

He nodded carefully, "Yes, he should be replying in a few days time I think."

"Okay."

Maximus got up from the chair and walked out of the Slytherin common room. He'd been spending some time with Hermione and Abraxas and it surprised him how different Abraxas was when around her. Yes, his condescending, rude behaviour remained, but he seemed calmer in general, not that he liked her, but more like he saw past the blood barrier that he used to hold so dear. Abraxas hated her kind, that was for sure, he used to make constant remarks about how fun it'd be to see a mudblood being sacrificed, or how much lower they were in status than house elves. Despise didn't even come close to describing how he felt about them, so why, in Merlin's name, did he act different around her? Could it be perhaps that he was pretending for the sake of finding Tom? No, Abraxas had always been a very blunt person, he wouldn't have hidden away his contempt for the sake of that. Could it be that he actually didn't care about her heritage? Perhaps, but Maximus would be lying if he said he cared. He didn't see it either way, he never really cared much for the war of heritage and hatred, he found it irrelevant in all honesty. But he was a follower of crowds, and so he went with those who his parents believed would do him good, people whose lives were so empty that they could do nothing but hold onto the things they'd known most in their lives, hatred and envy.

XXX

Alexander smiled at Rose and she giggled. "What're you smiling about?" She asked, twirling a flower that'd he'd given her between her fingers.

"Nothing," he replied with a shrug and a small smirk.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah really," he smiled and lay back onto the cold wet grass. It was mid-day the two were sitting near the dark lake, talking over the plans they had for their summer, after all, it was only a week away.

"Hey, Rose, could I ask you a question?"  
"Sure," she shrugged.

"What is- or was Abraxas to you?"  
Rose looked up at him, perplexed. "Why?"  
"Well, you two were always hanging around with each other and then you two just stopped, that's when he started going around with _her_."

"What, who?"

Maximus shrugged. "I don't know, that Bellouve girl. He started going around-"

"Hermione Bellove?"

"I think that's her name, yes."  
Rose sat up and stared down at Alexander with wide eyes. "So that's who he left me for...?"

Avery shrugged again. "What's the big deal? You weren't together, were you?"

"Not exactly but in a way we were. I-I thought he cared about me, well, in his own way at least." Rose could feel tears pricking at the back of her eyes, _no you will not cry, you will not cry, you will not…_ a tear ran down her cheek. Alexander sat up and wrapped an arm around her waist; she placed her head on his shoulder and wiped the tear away.

"I'm sorry, I-"  
"No need, it's unfair what he did to you."

"Merlin, how could I be so stupid?"

"You are not stupid, Rose, how as the one at fault here. He should feel bad, not you. He is the one at fault."

"I-I know that, I just don't understand how I could fall for him. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." She ran a hand through her hair and wiped away another tear.

"You should, I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted him dead." He sighed and held her hand.  
"I do, I do want him dead." She sniffed and turned to look up at him.

"Then let's kill him."  
"What?"  
"Let's kill Abraxas Malfoy."

She found the wheels in her head turning, she knew he meant it. She knew what it would mean to kill hi, but she was blinded. Blinded by awe for Alexander and hatred for Abraxas. At that moment she felt that perhaps it wouldn't be the worst thing if he was gone from her life, the boy she loved ever since she'd first set eyes on him, the boy who had broken her heart for a _fucking mudblood_ ; he needed to pay.

"Let's do it."

XXX

Hermione raised her wand at Abraxas, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Seriously?" He asked, looking up from the book he was reading,

"Yes seriously, get up."  
"I'm not duelling with you, Hermione."  
"Why, in Merlin's name, not?"  
"I don't have a reason to. I don't want to. It's absolutely ridiculous. The list is endless, really."

"You're no fun."  
"I don't try to be. Now go read a book or something."  
"No." She snatched away the book from him, and he glared up at her.

"Hand it back."  
"No." She began backing away from him, waggling the book mockingly.

"Fine." Abraxas sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I'll play, but I'm not duelling with you."  
Hermione jumped into an armchair. "What're you going to be doing during the summer?"  
"Nothing important I suppose. I'll keep writing to Darnaeus and I'll write you to keep you updated, but I doubt I'll do anything important. Why?"

"Will you be spending time in Diagon Alley?"

Abraxas though for a moment, cocking his head to the side. "I suppose I will, why?"

"I was thinking maybe we could hang out, or something." She fumbled with her fingers, her wild hair falling in front of her face as she did so.

"Are you suggesting that you want to spend time with me outside of school, for other reasons than finding Tom?" He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. Hermione frowned.

"And if I am?"

"Who are you and what have you done to Hermione Bellouve?" He laughed at her, and she hit him playfully with the back of her hand.

"No, seriously, Abraxas."

He gave a sigh and looked up at her, as small smile graced his features. "Why not? Sure."

"Good." Hermione handed him back his book with a soft smile, and just as the two began to settle into a comfortable silence the sound of hurried footsteps coming towards the common room startled them. The listened as the footsteps neared and the common room door slid open, revealing a very startled looking Rose Macmillan. She panted heavily as she held onto the door frame, doubling over a bit to catch her breath before she straightened up and ran over to Abraxas and grabbed onto his arm.

"Something's happened in the forest, I need your help, please!" She begged, her eyes were wide and filled with tears and her fingernails were digging into his arm. Abraxas could do nothing but nod and let himself be pulled up and dragged away by her, giving Hermione a final worried glance before she pulled him out of sight.

XXXX

A/N: Phew, thought I wasn't going to make that two week deadline, but I did, so, yay!


	25. Chapter Twenty-Five

**DISCLAIMER: YUP, I'M STILL WRITING THESE. I DON'T OWN HP.**

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: COMPLICATIONS (pt 1)

The cloaked man stared at Tom and To stared right back at him. "What're you..." Tom began with a croak, his throat was so parched and him so unused to having to speak anymore that his voice trailed off for itself.

The cloaked man looked down at Tom and smiled, Tom hated the gleam in his eyes.

"I suppose I should just tell you what I'm here for," the man sighed, and sat down opposite Tom on the grim, filthy floor. Smiling one more before beginning his long tale, there were ups and downs, ins and outs, but the proposal he was making was quite clear to Tom.

"So?"

Tom didn't waste anytime in his response, he'd do absolutely anything to get out of there, even if it meant doing, becoming what the man was asking of him. He calmed himself by telling himself that it'd lead to something greater, regardless of what he thought of him. He felt that he was similar, perhaps different in a few ways but mostly similar, to the man. He was odd and as complicated as one could ever get. Tom nodded his head, slowly and painfully, his neck was stiff, but he managed it. "Let's go."

XXX

Abraxas and Rose stopped just as Peeves swooped down in front of them. "Ooh, looky looky, what do we have here?" The poltergeist sniggered, waggling his fingers in mischievous excitement. Rose glared at him, her green eyes twinkling. "Get out of the way," she snarled.

"Why?" He giggled.

"There's something we need to take care of."

Abraxas turned to face her, "Yeah, speaking of this _thing_ could you please tell me what it is?" He hissed in annoyance.

The poltergeist smirked and Rose swallowed before she began her sentence. "Something bad happened in the forest-"

"There's nothing in the forest." Peeves interrupted her and giggled again.

"Well of course you wouldn't know," she snapped and turned back to Abraxas. "I can't really explain it at the moment, you'll see when we get there."

Abraxas raised an eyebrow suspiciously, something wasn't right here. But he followed her as she tugged on his arm, pushed past Peeves and walked out the entrance doors into the cold dark night.

XXX

Avery waited patiently in the forest, he held his wand at his side with a firm grip, Rose would be here soon and then it'd be all over.

XXX

Peeves laughed to himself as he floated down into the dungeons, obviously he knew what was to happen to Abraxas. He decided to use it to his advantage, yes, it was a slight bit reckless of him, but there was no other way to get what he wanted. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Hermione felt uncomfortable as she sat in the Slytherin common room. Something was off, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was off. She felt that it had to do with Rose, _following them wouldn't hurt_. She got up from the armchair and walked out of the common room, into the cold dungeon only to be met by the smirking face of Peeves the poltergeist.

"Hello Bellouve," he said with a sigh. "Bit cold out isn't it?"  
"Peeves, what do you want?"  
"You promised me something-"  
"I haven't had the time to ask him," a lie, she had plenty of time, she just didn't want to.

"Well, I have a secret to tell you, but only if you'll give me what I want."

"Well then, I don't want to know what it is." She walked past him.

"But it's about that friend of yours, that friend that supposedly has what I want- what's his name Abros?"

"Abraxas," she turned around with her brow furrowed, "What is it?"

"Swear on your life that you'll give me the dead girl if I tell you."

"I swear, I'll even ask him for it when I find him- wherever he is."  
Peeves smirked, "Alright, he's in the forest with that girl, y'know short, brunette, g-"

"Yes I know, Rose." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently on the ground.  
"Well yes, you better hurry if you want to catch them, she's wants to kill him, and she's not alone."

Hermione's face turned white as she took as step back, ingesting the news. "What?"

"Can't really blame her, he is-"  
Hermione didn't hear the rest of what Peeves had to say, she was already running.

XXX

Hermione emerged from the castle just as the two walked into the forest. She ran as fast as she could, trying to stay silent in case what what Peeves said was true, that she really wasn't alone and there might be someone waiting in the woods to ambush Abraxas.

Abraxas turned to face Rose as the stepped towards a cluster of trees, "We're here, what is it?"

Rose took a small step back, flicking her fingers nervously. Abraxas stepped towards her clenching his jaw. "Rose-"

"Oh, don't be so uptight," came Avery's voice as he stepped out from behind a tree. Abraxas snapped his head towards the boy and scowled.

"What're you doing here?"

"I don't really have to have a reason, do I?"

Abraxas' scowl deepened, and he turned to face Rose who was still backing away, but with a small smirk on her face. "Rose, what is he doing here?"

She said nothing, taking another step back before stopping next to an oak. Avery sighed and twisted his wand between his fingers.

"You should really stop listening to women, Abraxas, did you know that the devil is one of them? They'll do anything to take you down, really. Even kill." Avery shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

"What're you talking about? Kill?"

"Yeah, kill. You see you hurt Rose, you hurt her really bad. So much so that she wants you dead, gone, whoops no more Abraxas."

"You're lying, she wouldn't-"  
"Yeah, well she did. Didn't you, Rose?"

Abraxas turned to face her once more to find her nodding at Avery's words.

"No." He took a step back.

"Yes," Avery took a step towards him. "I hope you understand," Avery raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra."  
Hermione lunged out from a bush she'd been hiding in and smashed a rock over Avery's head, the boy fell onto the floor, unconscious. But it was too late either way, the spell had already been fired, there was another soft thud as the body fell to the floor, dead.

XXXXXX

A/N: Oooh, so close to the deadline, but I made it! Also, sorry for the shortness of the chapter.


	26. AN

Heyo guys, this is just a small A/N to ask what you guys think of the story so far. I'd like to see the story from you guys' point of view, what you like about it, what you don't and what you think I'm doing wrong. I'd appreciate it a tonne.

The new chapter will be coming out tomorrow, so watch out!


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six

**DISCLAIMER: ….**

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: COMPLICATIONS (pt 2)

Hermione let out a small gasp as her wand dropped to the side, and ran over to Rose's dead body, carefully stepping over Alexander's unconscious one. She pushed the girls auburn hair out of her face and stared down at her empty green eyes. "Rose," she breathed. She picked up the girls hand and felt desperately for a pulse. There was none.

"Hermione," Abraxas spoke from behind her. She didn't turn around to face him. "Hermione," he said louder, and she turned around to face him with an unreadable look on her face.

"She's dead," she whispered. Abraxas nodded and Hermione let go of Rose's hand. "Why is she dead?"

"Don't ask me, I thought I was the one he was going for." Abraxas frowned and crossed his arms. Hermione let out a small huff and got off the ground, not once taking her eyes off of the dead girl.

"We need to go." Abraxas muttered from behind her.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, finally turning to face Abraxas.

"Go? Abraxas, we have to help-"

"There's nothing we can do, we could tie Avery up and leave him them here- the grounds-keeper will find them in the morning, I'll make sure of that. He'll have to come up with his own story-"

"And let him get away with it?"

"Hermione, if we report this Avery's going to find a way to put the blame on me-"

"We'll figure something out, we need to report this, now."

Abraxas frowned, he ran a hand through his hair as he pondered over it. "Alright, but he'll never admit to this."

"We'll worry about that later." Hermione sighed and turned around; she walked back to the castle carefully, calculating all the way.

XXX

Alexander Darnaeus was tired of the old hag that was supposedly his caretaker. All she'd ever do was nag him about his hair, how little he ate, the spells he couldn't do, and how his father didn't pay her enough for having to take care of his- how'd she put it? "Wretched arse".

He constantly fantasized on the different ways he could kill her, he wouldn't use the killing spell, no, he wanted to see her suffer. He wanted to see her shake as she died, blood splatter, screa-

"Alexander, get your feet off the table," a hoarse voice came from behind him, it was her. He swung his long legs of the table, there was a soft swishing sound as the fabric of his trousers brushed against the oak wood, and a clack as his shoes landed on the white tile floor. He turned around to glare at her and scowled as his eyes landed on her wrinkled face. Her cloudy grey eyes were filled with the usual dissatisfaction with life that an old hag like her always carried around. A small smirk danced upon her thin lips, she enjoyed interrupting him.

"They're off, leave," he sneered at her. She gave him a sweet smile, dripping with mockery. "I'm sorry, but you need to do your assignments."

Alexander's scowl deepened. He'd had enough with the damned assignments- he didn't even have to do them, technically. "No."

"Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that- did you say no?"

Alexander swore under his breath and looked back up at her, clenching his fist under the table. "Yes, Dorothy, I said no."

"Well," she taped the four remaining fingers on her right hand on her fat scar infested arm, "you are going to."

He crossed his arms and nodded. "Oh re-"

His arms were forcefully uncrossed with the help of the unforgivable imperio by wandless magic. He'd forgotten she could do that. He groaned as he he was forced to sit back down and face the table.

The witch held him there and walked over to the large black cupboard opposite the two, she pulled out a skeleton key from her robe pocket and proceeded to unlock a drawer. She proceeded to pull out a stack of papers and walked back over to the table, dropping them with a certain cat like ferocity. Alexander- still under the imperio- managed to resist the hex and scowl up at her.

"You're a bitch," he hissed and shortly after slammed his face onto the table.

"And you're and overgrown child that couldn't cast a curse to save his life, now we're over with that let's begin."

XXX

Abraxas turned to Hermione as she spoke to Headmaster Dippet- _she's lying. She's lying about everything and he believes her-_

"Abraxas," Dippet's voice broke him out of his thoughts, the old man and Hermione turned to face him. She had fake tears in her eyes.

"Yes?" He answered, still slightly bewildered at how realistic her facade was.

"Did you witness this event?"

"Uh," he hesitated and Hermione kicked his foot. "I can't remember much, it was all such a blur, one minute they were arguing and then, bam, she died."

"Alright, you two go back to your dormitories, it's been a long night."

They both nodded and got up, once outside the office Abraxas turned to her. "What the hell was that?"

Hermione smirked, "That was me keeping you out of trouble and saving our asses."

"Alexander's never going to agree to that story."

Hermione's smirk widened, "Well," she looked down and fumbled with her fingers, "after you left the infirmary I may or may not have obliviated him-"  
"You what?!"  
"Hush, it's for the greater good. And besides, it fits the story, he hit his head on a rock and forgot everything."

Abraxas threw his hands up in exasperation, "Who are you?!"

She laughed and pushed him playfully, he pushed her back and the two started laughing again when all of a sudden Peeves swooped down upon them with a hand outstretched.

"Give it to me," he hissed. "Or I swear on Merlin's grave I'll go to Dippet and tell him that you're lying- might even throw in a story of my own-"

"Alright!" Hermione scowled and turned to a confused looking Abraxas. She took a deep breath and scratched the side of her head. "Abraxas," she turned to look at Peeves who nodded at her, still glaring. "What did you do to the ghost after I gave it to you?"

Abraxas raised an eyebrow, "Why?"  
"This thing," Hermione pointed at Peeves, "wants it- I promised it to him for information on Tom."

"You're an idiot," he hissed. Hermione clicked her tongue and sighed-

"Tick tock goes the clock, hurry up lovebirds."

Hermione growled, "Do you have it or not?"

Abraxas scratched the back of his neck and sighed. "Uh, I do actually."  
"You do? Thought we agree-"  
"Do you want the damned thing or not?"

"Yes, Merlin let's get this over with."

Peeves giggled, "Let's."

XXX

Tom glared at the cloaked man. "Why?"

"You must," the man tapped his foot on the ground, the sound echoed throughout the room.

"I understand that, but why?" Tom tapped his fingers on the table- with clean fingernails. He was clean, finally.

"To prove your loyalty," the man sighed and his hair fell into his face.

"Haven't I already proved it by joining you?"

"Not at all. Now give me your arm."

Tom hesitantly stuck out his arm and the man wrapped his long fingers around it, squeezing the flesh and gently placed the needle onto it. He began to carve and Tom fought desperately to keep back the shouts of pain, it was almost as bad as the horcrux, almost. His blood dripped onto the floor, staining the white tile and seeping into the hidden crevices.

XXXXX

A/N: I'm so sorry. I know this is crap and I know I didn't stick to the schedule but I've been feeling really down about everything I've been writing and just didn't think this was good enough to post, but I had to eventually...


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**DISCLAIMER: I….I'M TIRED OF THIS.**

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: NAILS IN THE COFFIN

A/N: Exactly two weeks.

Alexander Darnaeus smiled as he walked into his room, the space between him and the hag always comforted him, it was sacred. He grazed his black fingernails lightly over the olive green walls and walked over to his bookshelf with the determination to pick a book so large that he wouldn't have to step out of his room until supper. Upon picking up a book, a tawny owl flew in through his bedroom window startling him and causing him to drop the book onto his foot. The owl hooted at him somberly, it's amber eyes showing just how tired it was; Alexander walked over to it hesitantly, limping slightly and untied the envelope from it's leg, he wasted no time in opening it.

 _Dear Alexander,_

 _I'm sorry to catch you unawares, but I- for an unknown reason- felt compelled to write you._

Alexander frowned throughout the whole letter wondering why in the world Maximus Black would write to him, to apologize no less! The idiot had written to apologize for how hostile he had acted towards him the first time he'd spent the summer at his house, not that there had ever been another time, and would like to invite him over again! The audacity! But Alexander would say yes, regardless. Until now he had no other way of getting away from Dorothy except by killing her, and now some random twat he hated had offered him a perfect escape plan, he couldn't say no to that. He glanced at the tawny owl that now stood on his desk happily munching away at the hand full of owl treats he had given it, and nodded subconsciously, he was definitely going to say yes.

XXX

Abraxas glanced at Peeves and then at Hermione, "Are you sure you want to do this?" He whispered. Hermione raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"We have no choice."

"I mean, we could just trap him in the mirror y'know, he'd technically have what he wants," Abraxas smirked and Hermione giggled.

"How'd we explain the missing poltergeist?"

"We wouldn't,"

"Someone would find out eventually,"

"Exactly, eventually,"

"You're wicked. Besides that, it's still never work for a bunch of reasons, so give up and give in,"

Abraxas nodded, still smirking. "Just let me know if when you realize how stupid this is, yeah?"

"Sure thing,"

Peeves coughed behind them. "Earth to you two. You stopped walking," Peeves snarled.

"Oh keep your knickers on, we're almost there," Abraxas drawled and stopped in front of the wall that lead to the Slytherin common room. "Pureblood," he muttered, subconsciously glancing at Hermione, and stepped in as the wall slid open. The common room was empty, surprisingly, at midnight usually there'd be at least five kids in there doing their homework because they'd procrastinated for too long and woke up in cold sweat because of it.

Abraxas lead Peeves and Hermione up the stairs to the boys dormitories, opening the door carefully and tiptoeing over to his bedside table, he opened up a drawer and picked up the mirror, raising an eyebrow at the lackluster ghost within it- she no longer moved around with purpose, she'd float about doing nothing, she was nothing, she'd become dead on the inside and out. The mirror, no, they'd killed her.

Abraxas glanced at Peeves, "So, here it is,"

Peeves extended a hand, "Hand it over,"

Abraxas glance hesitantly at Hermione and she nodded at him, he handed it over to Peeves and was surprised it didn't sink through his hand and shatter, it was what he was hoping for after all.

Peeves smirked at the two, "Thank you for your cooperation, now if you'll excuse me-"

"Wait, what're you going to do with that?" Asked Hermione. She'd suddenly realized that Peeves would probably take the mirror to Dumbledore, and if he did that he'd get her out and- no.

"None of your business, really."

Hermione shrugged and Abraxas raised an eyebrow at her. Peeves giggled a final time and evaporated. As soon as he left Hermione turned to Abraxas with a small flame in her eyes, "We have to destroy that mirror."

"Wait, what?"

XXX

Dimitri Darnaeus rarely talked to his son, the reason could've been that he spent most of his time at Azkaban, but it wasn't, instead, it was because he didn't see the point in it. His son- although a brilliant child- had always been too bright for Dimitri's liking. He over analyzed, too goddamn skeptical for his own good- Alexander reminded Dimitri too much of himself.

At some point Alexander took a hint and stopped trying to talk to him. Dimitri didn't hate his son, he just didn't _like_ his son. In some ways he regretted the way he treated him- it hit him that he was grooming him to become just like him, that wasn't good either. But he'd never really make it a point to change. He thought this over and over in his head as he burnt a letter Alex sent him without opening it.

Dimitri looked up as a crooked man stepped into his "office", the one eyed bony man grinned and Dimitri scowled at his broken teeth.

"What is it, Albert?" Dimitri asked, swinging his long legs off of the table and turning to face him.

"A letter from the watchers on the island, the lord comes north," the man's voice came out in a broken whisper.

Dimitri raised a thick eyebrow, his blue eyes examining Albert's wrinkled face."What does this have to do with me? I no longer have any business vwith him."

"That's not what 'e says, 'e says you owe him yer life and 'e's comin' to collect 'is debt."

"What? I've alrea-"

"Y'know wha' e's like, tha' wa'n't enough."

Dimitri stood up from his chair and with a wave of his hand went back to being a filthy, broken toothed man. "Albert, keep watch I'll be out for a while." With that he rushed out the room, down the rickety stairs and out the termite beaten door.

XXX

Abraxas raised an eyebrow at Hermione, and for the second time thought that she'd gone absolutely mad. He cocked his head to the side as she rambled on and bit the insides of his cheek to hold back a laugh.

"...and voila, the mirror is destroyed and all our problems are solved!" She finished with a big clap and sighed before wiping the beads of sweat glistening on her brow.

"Hermione, I think you're suffering from sleep deprivation," Abraxas remarked as she threw herself into an armchair.

"It's not that bad, is it?"

"It is, when's the last time you had a full night's rest?"

Hermione scratches the back of her messy locks and frowned, "When did Tom leave?"

"Hermione that was more than a month ago!"

"Oh, I've just been so busy thinking and-"

"That's it, you're going to sleep- now."

"Abraxas no."

"Yes,"

"No,"

"Yes,"

"You can't force me to sleep, Abraxas,"

"Says who?"

"Me, for Merlin's sake give it up,"

"Nope, you're going to sleep," Abraxa stepped towards her and she shot out of the armchair.

"No," Hermione took a step back with a small giggle.

"Yes," Abraxas leaped at her and she swerved narrowly with a laugh.

He turned to face her, his blonde hair fell into his face and made Hermione realize just how long it was.

"Your hair is really lo-"

Abraxas cut her off by tackling her to the ground. Hermione let out a small gasp as the two fell before bursting out laughing. Abraxas shushed her, "You'll wake the others up," he hissed.

Hermione raised an eyebrow up at him, their noses almost touching. "Maybe you shouldn't have tackled me," she giggled once more.

"You need your sleep," for a second- just a second- Abraxas' eyes flickered down to Hermione's lips; she noticed.

"Abraxas," Hermione whispered and he looked back into her tired eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Your hair's tickling me,"

"Oh," Abraxas laughed and rolled off of her onto her right.

"When're you going to cut it?" Hermione turned to face him and pulled at one of his curls.

"I don't know, I want to see how long it'll last until my mother snaps and cuts it off herself," he let out a mirthless laugh and turned to face her.

"Seems like a good plan," Hermione nodded and let out a small yawn. Abraxas couldn't help but reach out and trace softly over the bags under her eyes. "You should really get some rest, Hermione,"

Hermione nodded and yawned again, "Yeah, I really should," her eyelids fluttered shut, and Abraxas smiled. Hermione shuffled closer, her nose bumped against his and her lips brushed softly against his own; Abraxas' eyes widened and Hermione placed her head on his chest, falling asleep and leaving Abraxas to wonder if he'd imagined it all or If Hermione Bellouve, the outcast mudblood, had just kissed him and that he _actually liked_ it.

XXX

A/N: I worked hard on this, hope you liked it.


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